Fire & Rain: Book 1

Loyalties

Y/N's POV
I had agreed that I'd stay with Zuko whilst we were on Ember Island, as he retreated to bed, I assured him that I'd join him soon and waited until everyone had gone inside before climbing onto the roof of the house and staring up at the stars.

What am I doing here?

This is pathetic, I'm following a guy around who has already messed with my feelings in the past, and I'm throwing away everything I've worked for in my life so he can play hero with a twelve-year-old.

What would my parents say if they could see me now?

Going to the theatre with some peasants just because Prince Zuko enjoys their company? Once upon a time, he enjoyed my company, he enjoyed being at home, in the Fire Nation.

Not long ago, all he wanted was to go home- now he wants to fight against our nation?

I don't understand.

I don't understand why his friends are all being so nice to me. I'm their enemy. They know that I'm their enemy.

The scary thing is, I don't dislike them. Sokka and Suki have been so welcoming and accepting of me from the very beginning, Aang is a little annoying but tolerable, I like Toph's vibe and attitude, and Katara is starting to grow on me.

But this life, it isn't me. I am Y/N, daughter of General Zorian and Azira, future general in the army of the greatest nation that the world has ever known and famously known as a prodigy.

Or maybe not, I'm not actually the daughter of General Zorian and Azira... I'm the daughter of a war prisoner from the only nation to successfully resist the Fire Nation.  

I miss my friends. I miss Princess Azula, Mai and Ty Lee, I hate knowing that when I do return home, it'll never be the same again. The princess will have me sent to prison for my treachery, the same way she had Mai and Ty Lee sent to prison.

I never wanted to hurt Azula, I really didn't. But if it's between her and Zuko, I'll always choose him.

I can't let him down again.

I guess that's why I've stayed here so long, I'm afraid of letting Zuko down.

I must protect him at any cost.

I'm never letting anything bad happen to him.

Not again.

Never again.

"Y/N? Are you up there?"

"Zuko?"

I crawled to the edge of the roof and peered over,

"Hold on, I'm coming down."

"No, no. I'm coming up."

He climbed up and sat beside me,

"What are you doing up here all alone?"

I sighed,

"Just... thinking, I guess."

"What about?"

"Nothing important."

I leaned back again to stare up at the sky and sighed,

"What's gonna happen on the day of the comet?"

"Well, hopefully the avatar will defeat my father before then."

"But what are you gonna do? Are you gonna fight the Fire Nation beside him?"

He exhaled,

"Yeah... I'll help in anyway I can... we need a new era in the world, an era of peace."