Explanations
"Hey Gary," Aly called as she rounded the door of his room, "His Highness requests your presence in his rooms."
Gary looked up at Aly from where he was seated next to Nimi. "Why does he want me, we haven't even got any work from mathematics yet which he can want help with yet!" he exclaimed.
"I think he's just lonely and can't be bothered to come and see you." Aly replied.
"Yeah, I can see that happening easily, just like him" Gary agreed as he and Nimi rose. They chattered amiably on the way to the Prince's rooms about this and that – court affairs, riding conditions, and the ever looming training master.
The prince, Paul, smiled up at the three as they entered and asked "What are you doing here? I didn't know we were going to meet up."
"But Aly, didn't you say…" Gary began.
"Have a seat my dear Gareth, rest your weary bones!" Aly cut in.
"Does this mean…" Nimi began, who received a nod from Aly as an answer. "Oh good, this scarf is so annoying," she continued as she began to tug of a scarf identical to the one Aly was wearing.
"Hey!" Gary cried, "you two look really alike!"
With that two pairs of glimmering sapphire eyes fixed him with a piercing stare. Black locks now framed Nimi's creamy skinned face. Gary just stared, and kept on staring. Eventually Aly got bored and she too tugged off her head scarf.
"Paul, I think you should reintroduce Nimi." Said Aly, trying to break through the stares the other three were sharing.
"Since when were you two on first name terms?" blurted Gary.
"For the past 10 years of my life, in other words my entire life" she replied.
"Anyway," Paul cut in "Al do I have to do a formal introduction?"
"Yes Paul, you'll have to do it properly some day so you may as well start now, and don't try and avoid it."
"Ok, Gareth may I introduce you to my sister Princess Nimeera of Conté?" Paul spat out very fast.
"Well done Paul" congratulated Aly in a very patronising voice, "Now I suppose you must introduce me."
"Well you made me do a formal introduction so I'm afraid I will have to. Revenge will be so sweet" he said grinning.
"Get on with it you two," Nimi cut in. "I know you've been doing this since you were five but we have far more important things to do."
"Yeah, yeah," agreed Paul. "Gareth may I also present to you Alianne of Pirate's Swoop?"
Gary stared, again. "So," he began, "you are trying to tell me that Nimi is your sister and Aly is the daughter of the Lioness?"
"Idiot," murmured Aly, who then raised her voice and continued, "Nimi is an abbreviation of Nimeera and Aly is short for Alianne." She had resumed her patronising voice.
"Well, you two do look very alike," Gary said, nodding to them both. "And I suppose you do look like the Lioness."
"Well, now we've settled that can we play some chess?" Nimi asked.