Then he despatched a company of his men to Baghdad to acquaint his father with his arrival in company with the princess Abrizeh，daughter of King Herdoub， to the intent that he might send some one to meet her. They passed the night in that place， and when God the Most High brought on the day， Sherkan and his company took horse and fared on towards the city. On the way， they met the Vizier Dendan， who had come out with a thousand horse， by commandment of King Omar， to do honour to the princess Abrizeh and to Sherkan. When they drew near， the Vizier and his company dismounted and kissed the earth before the prince and princess，then mounted again and escorted them， till they reached the city and came to the palace. Sherkan went in to his father， who rose and embraced him and questioned him of what had happened. So he told him all that had befallen him， including what the princess Abrizeh had told him and what had passed between them and how she had left her father and her kingdom and had chosen to depart and take up her abode with them. And he said to his father， "Indeed，the King of Constantinople had plotted to do us a mischief，because of his daughter Sufiyeh， for that the King of Caesarea had made known to him her history and the manner of her being made a gift to thee， he not knowing her to be King Afridoun"s daughter； else would he have restored her to her father. And of a verity， we were only saved from these perils by the lady Abrizeh，and never saw I a more valiant than she！" And he went on to tell his father of the wrestling and the jousting from beginning to end. When King Omar heard his son"s story， Abrizeh was exalted in his eyes， and he longed to see her and sent Sherkan to fetch her.
So Sherkan went out to her and said， "The king calls for thee."
She replied， "I hear and obey；" and he took her and brought her in to his father， who was seated on his throne， attended only by the eunuchs， having dismissed his courtiers and officers. The princess entered and kissing the ground before him， saluted him in choice terms. He was amazed at her fluent speech and thanked her for her dealing with his son Sherkan and bade her be seated.
So she sat down and uncovered her face， which when the king saw，his reason fled and he made her draw near and showed her especial favour， appointing her a palace for herself and her damsels and assigning them due allowances. Then he asked her of the three jewels aforesaid， and she replied， "O King of the age， they are with me." So saying， she rose and going to her lodging， opened her baggage and brought out a box， from which she took a casket of gold. She opened the casket and taking out the three jewels，kissed them and gave them to the King and went away， taking his heart with her. Then the king sent for his son Sherkan and gave him one of the three jewels. Sherkan enquired of the other two，and the King replied， "O my son， I mean to give one to thy brother Zoulmekan and the other to thy sister Nuzhet ez Zeman."
When Sherkan heard that he had a brother （for up to that time he had only known of his sister） he turned to his father and said to him， "O King， hast thou a son other than myself？" "Yes，" answered Omar， "and he is now six years old." And he told him that his name was Zoulmekan and that he and Nuzhet ez Zeman were twins，born at a birth. This news was grievous to Sherkan， but he hid his chagrin and said， "The blessing of God the Most High be upon them！" And he threw the jewel from his hand and shook the dust off his clothes. Quoth his father， "What made thee change colour，when I told thee of this， seeing that the kingdom is assured to thee after me？ For， verily， the troops have sworn to thee and the Amirs and grandees have taken the oath of succession to thee； and this one of the three jewels is thine." At this， Sherkan bowed his head and was ashamed to bandy words with his father： so he accepted the jewel and went away， knowing not what to do for excess of anger， and stayed not till he reached the princess Abrizeh"s palace. When she saw him， she rose to meet him and thanked him for what he had done and called down blessings on him and his father. Then she sat down and made him sit by her side.
After awhile， she saw anger in his face and questioned him，whereupon he told her that God had vouchsafed his father two children， a boy and a girl， by Sufiyeh， and that he had named the boy Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzhet ez Zeman. "He has given me one of the jewels，" continued he， "and kept the other two for them. I knew not of Zoulmekan"s birth till this day， and he is now six years old. So when I learnt this， wrath possessed me and I threw down the jewel： and I tell thee the reason of my anger and hide nothing from thee. But I fear lest the King take thee to wife，for he loves thee and I saw in him signs of desire for thee： so what wilt thou say， if he wish this？" "Know， O Sherkan，" replied the princess， "that thy father has no dominion over me， nor can he take me without my consent； and if he take me by force， I will kill myself. As for the three jewels， it was not my intent that he should give them to either of his children and I had no thought but that he would lay them up with his things of price in his treasury； but now I desire of thy favour that thou make me a present of the jewel that he gave thee， if thou hast accepted it." "I hear and obey，" replied Sherkan and gave her the jewel.
Then said she， "Fear nothing，" and talked with him awhile.
Presently she said， "I fear lest my father hear that I am with you and sit not down with my loss， but do his endeavour to come at me； and to that end he may ally himself with King Afridoun and both come on thee with armies and so there befall a great turmoil." "O my lady，" replied Sherkan， "if it please thee to sojourn with us， take no thought of them， though all that be in the earth and in the ocean gather themselves together against us！" "It is well，" rejoined she； "if ye entreat me well， I will tarry with you， and if ye deal evilly by me， I will depart from you." Then she bade her maidens bring food； so they set the tables， and Sherkan ate a little and went away to his own house，anxious and troubled.
