Saal guzar gaye, aur Lucknow ki thandi hawaon ne Hashmi Haveli mein kai naye mausam dekhe. Nawab Zaryab ab umr ke us mod par the jahan unke baalon mein chandi utar aayi thi, magar unka roab aur unki mardangi aaj bhi wahi thi. Haveli ka aangan jo kabhi nanhi kilkariyon se goonjta tha, aaj wahan jawan mard aur haseen shehzadiyan ghoom rahi thin.

Shahzaryab ab ek kade-kathi ka jawan mard ban chuka tha, jiski aankhon mein apne baap jaisa jalwa tha. Ariz riyasat ke kaamon mein maahir ho gaya tha, aur Zaryan talwar-baazi mein Lucknow ka be-taj badshah tha. Wahi Inaya aur Zoyaal apni charon maon ki tarah haseen aur tehzeeb-yafta Begumein banne ki raah par thin.