Author's Note: Fun fact for you; I used to be homophobic. So how did I get from homophobia to writing a fanfiction with a lesbian couple in it? Well, you see, I am a Christian. I don't hate gay people anymore because I found out that homophobia isn't Christian. It turns out that a lot of verses from the Bible that people think are about homophobia are actually talking about something different in the original Hebrew version. I can't remember how clear I made it that I'm a Christian in past Author's Notes. So if you did know after reading DPE, you might have been wondering how I could write a story with Raya and Namaari as a couple. I don't think that writing a lesbian couple is in conflict with my beliefs; in fact, I think writing gay characters is what God wants me to do.

But you didn't come here for the preaching. You came for the princesses; so let's go.

"I guess it's like I've been cheated out of my progress," Raya explained to Namaari. "I used to not care about Kumandra, I used to be bitter and pessimistic about people in general. My ba wanted to unite Kumandra, but I couldn't have cared less. But when you, of all people, helped me, it made me think that maybe there is hope for Kumandra. So when I found out that you, of all people, don't see eye to eye with me . . . I can't help but think I'm losing that progress. I'm afraid that I'll go back to pushing everyone away and assuming the worst of people."

"This shouldn't decide whether or not there's hope for people in general," Namaari said. "But I know what you mean. I was cheated, too. My mother doesn't let what I say effect any of her decisions. She does what she deems necessary even if I think it's terrible. So I learned to shut up and follow mother's instructions. I thought that you and I would listen to each other and do what we agree is right. But look how that turned out."

Raya and Namaari sat in silence, considering the other's confession.

"What does it matter?" Raya asked, prompting Namaari to look at her curiously. "So, we disagree about something. Big deal. We don't need to agree about everything. We can still give each other hope and we can still listen to each other. I don't agree with you about Kumandra, but I . . . I don't care. I just want us to . . . not be mad at each other anymore. Besides, it's not our decision anyway. The chiefs will decide what happens to Kumandra."

"Right. You're right. It doesn't matter," Namaari said. "We still have other things in common."

"We're both still dragon nerds," Raya agreed.

"We both prefer casual over formal."

"We're both smarter than your mom."

"We're both excellent fighters. . . . Especially me."

"Hey, hey, hey, I beat you the last time we fought," Raya reminded her.

"I beat you the time before that."

"We need to have a tie breaker fight someday or else this will go on forever." Raya smirked and said, "Also, you called us 'excellent fighters' as if we didn't just lose pathetically twice in a row."

Raya expected her to list off excuses, but instead Namaari just gave her a punch in the arm. Raya worried that she might have offended her considering the last time that happened. Her worries were silenced when she caught Namaari holding back a smile.

"Raya, can you make me a promise?" Namaari asked.

"What is it?"

"Well, either Kumandra turns into one big country or it doesn't. So, one of us is going to be disappointed by the way things go. Can we just promise that, no matter what happens, we'll still have each other's back?"

Raya smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. "Always." Namaari placed her hand on Raya's and they looked at each other warmly.

Eventually, Namaari grabbed Raya's shirt and pulled her into a kiss. Raya's initial surprise melted away and she held her closer. Raya put one of her legs on top of one of hers. Namaari ran her hand through Raya's long hair, digging deep into it. Raya temporarily took her lips off of Namaari's and said, "That's not fair. I've got nothing to dig my hands into." Namaari gave her a lighter punch in the arm and Raya giggled before going right back to kissing her. Showing how unserious she was, Raya brushed her fingers across Namaari's short, prickly hair. When they were finished, Raya said, "Not that I'm complaining, but I never thought our first kiss would be in a cage."

"Is this a bad time?" Rapunzel asked from outside the cage. Raya and Namaari had no idea how long she had been there with the other strange visitors. Eugene, Cinderella, Merida, and Phillip all stood behind her, embarrassed by their situation.

"Yes, it is. Come back later," Raya said before puckering up and pulling Namaari's head close again. Namaari pushed Raya away while rolling her eyes and stood up. Raya snickered and stood up with her.

"Did your find friend yet?" Namaari asked.

"Yeah, uh . . . funny story," Rapunzel said awkwardly. "We kind of owe you two an apology for assuming you were making things up. Turns out Ariel is being controlled, or at least manipulated by some spirit."

"She's really not like this normally," Merida added.

Looking back, that story made sense to Raya and Namaari. It explained why Ariel became conflicted, seemed to be talking to herself, and temporarily lost her grip on the dragons long enough for them to escape.

Cinderella told them, "We'll be willing to let you out if you agree not to kill Ariel."

Raya told Namaari, "I know it's nuts, but I think these weirdos are our best chance of stopping Ariel. It sounds like not killing her is pretty reasonable if what they say is true."

Namaari said to the strange visitors, "We'll help you get your friend back to normal. But we're going to need the good of Kumandra to come first before Ariel's safety. If it comes down to killing Ariel or letting her win, what would happen?"

The strange visitors were weighed down by such a concept. Merida said sadly, "It won't come to that. But if it does, we'll do the right thing for your people."

"Then we're in."

Cinderella cast a spell that turned the cage back into a tree. Namaari asked, "This spirit controlling Ariel; do you know its name."

Cinderella told them, "She called it Kahn."

Raya and Namaari's eyebrows lifted at the name. "Kahn?" Raya repeated. "Kahn is supposed to just be a rumor; a made up story designed to make us trust dragons less."

"You've heard of him?" Phillip asked.

"You haven't? Just how far away is Europe?"

"It's kind of in a different world," Eugene explained.

"That makes sense," Raya said, knowing the explanation had to be strange. "Okay, let me tell you the Legend of Kahn. Long ago, a group of dragons gathered every week to discuss the methods of the greater good. In time, they grew to question the humanity's wisdom and ability to govern themselves. In each meeting, they would bring up the idea of dragons ruling the world with humans as their submissive underlings. But one day, their meetings were discovered and their thoughts were deemed treachery. The other dragons wished not to give harsh punishment to members of their own kind. So instead, they chose a different way to quell the danger. They gathered the group and used a form of magic that was normally considered forbidden to remove the dark thoughts from the minds of the dragons and place them in a crystal. What they didn't realize was that these compiled thoughts of conquest would gain of consciousness of their own. Kahn was born as a being of pure thought. Thoughts alone were harmless without a mind to corrupt. But thoughts could not be destroyed by force. Kahn was locked away in hopes that he would never damage the world. And the map to find him was sent to a faraway land."

Author's Note: You provably figured this out by now, but the thing about Raya and Namaari disagreeing was never about declaring either of them to be right. The point was obviously that they disagree and that's fine. So many people are quick to make enemies if someone disagrees with them about anything.

Thank you for reading. Pease follow and review.