Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar and the Last Bender or its characters

Pointers: 'italics' means that the character is thinking

Summary: Nothing more than a princess then turned vigilante. Now she's a prisoner to Zuko as bait for the Avatar. Will she be able to escape or will she choose the darker side? Maybe it might make her discover what it means to be touched by the dragonspirit. Zuko x Oc

Book 4: The Promise

The Hardship of Love and Friendship

The harmony restoration was on a go during the past year. Enyo had went back to the Sun Warrior Civilization like she had promised her parents, leaving a reluctant Zuko behind. She had told her tribe her story of her hardship of helping Aang defeat former Fire Lord Ozai, falling in love with the new Fire Lord Zuko, the things she learned, and the many important friends she made and people she met. She also explained the culture of the different places she went to, the types of food she ate, the inventions she had seen, and her life before she met Aang. Everyone was enthralled of her story and others wanted to travel the world and make their own memories outside home. Her father was very reluctant of allowing it to happen, but once realizing how much the tribe would be spreading its culture and knowledge as well as soaking int he knowledge of the rest of the world, he had happened to agree. Enyo and her father had helped spread the name of their civilization causing opened trade routes, tourist attraction, and the city to be built bigger and keeping their ruins and natural sources. It was a big thing to do and it was very strenuous, but Enyo continued to write letters to Zuko each night and reply to the ones he would send her as soon as possible.

"Don't you think you've worked enough, dear?" Adsila asked the sixteen-year old who had been sitting at her desk to respond to a letter from Zuko.

Enyo had turned around, the candle at her desk once the only thing that lit room until her mother brought her own candle holder. "I'm fine, mom. I'm just worried about Zuko."

"Why is that?" The woman closed the door and walked towards her only child, "Did something happen?"

The Princess let out a long sigh and closed her eyes as she spoke, "He sounds very paranoid. He wrote me the past couple of months that he's been feeling like a target and nobody will believe him. He knows someone is out to get him, but they can never find that person."

"That sounds serious. Well, he is Fire Lord now and some people are still loyal to his father as well as his sister. You have to remember that his life is in constant danger, sweetheart." Her mother explained and rubbed her daughter's back, noticing the trouble look on her face. "Why don't you go see him? When was the last time you seen him?"

"Six months ago," Enyo answered, "but I have things to do and I promised everyone I would do them. I can't just drop them and run to him..." She sighed, "even though I would love to do that for him." She muttered the last bit before she blew her bangs away from her face. "I'm really worried about him and there's nothing I can do but hope that he gets better. I'll see him soon, hopefully."

Adsila knew there was no point in arguing with her, especially when she had that determined loon on her face. Even though she felt more than happen to see her daughter after nine years and even got to celebrate her birthday with her with the boy she had came to love. It made her feel whole to have the now young woman she had cried many nights over to be right in front of her but to hear the sadness in her voice, knowing she had missed another was too hard for her to bear. Still, she was in one of her set moods. She couldn't persuade her even though Enyo was fighting to persuade herself. "I understand." She cooed as she rubbed the soft, black hair that belonged to her daughter. The teenage girl had fought back tears as she stared at the blank parchment that was supposed to be a letter to the boy she loves and adores.

"Someone's here! I can feel it! Someone's trying to assassinate me!" Zuko shouted to the guards outside his room, one of the occurrences that would happen several times and almost daily.

The guards looked at him in disbelief and curiosity. "Fire Lord, please. Go back to sleep. We're in the most secure tower in the entire palace!" He explained, but Zuko refused to listen. He could feel that something wasn't right.

"No one will get to you tonight, I assure you." The other guard tried to persuade his majesty.

"Just like no one got to you last night, or the other night before that, or the night before that..." The first guard spoke again.

"Do not mock me!" The Fire Lord seethed, growing frustrated how no one could believe what he was saying, "There have been five attempts on my life since I took the throne!"

He had picked up the guard by the collar, fear evident on both of their faces but more on the one being held in a strong grip. Zuko's face was contorted in an angry yet fearful expression as his other hand was bawled up into a fist. "And that's why we moved you here! Please you have to trust-" The man tried to defend himself but was cut off.

And that's when it happened. Something had flew in the air quicker than they could see and knocked both of them out and leaving Zuko there in shock. He was right after all. He immediately went to a stand and sent an orange fireball down the hallway, "Show yourself!" He yelled toward the unseen enemy.

Coming from behind him was a girl dressed in all black, her mouth concealed by a scarf, her hair up in a ponytail and a ball and chain her hand. She had swung half of the chain with the ball attached in the quick motion as she was flying down towards the Fire Lord, "Down with the traitor! Down with the Fire Lord who betrays his own people!" She said as she tossed the ball down towards him as he moved back quickly, shock on his face as well as the assassin who was surprised he dodged her attack.

He immediately threw another ball of flame at her, but she had dodged the attack in a fluent execution by jumping over it and successfully swung the ball chain towards Zuko's leg and making him trip and land on his backside.

Zuko quickly performed a leg sweep motion and bending an arch of fire from his feet in which she evaded as well as the other fireballs he had sent her way. But he had managed to grab her scarf, revealing the defeated yet angry expression on her face. "Convince me not to take your life." Zuko said to her in a dark and serious tone.

The girl was too defiant to show her fear towards his words, "Go ahead! My family has been loyal to yours for generations! By getting rid of me, you would simply complete your betrayal!" yelled the assassin.

Zuko appeared shocked as he then questioned, "Your family?"

"My father is the Mayor of Yu Dao!" She answered him.

"Yu Dao... The first of the Fire Nation colonies." He then remember as the girl's voiced boomed through the halls from her yelling.

"Yes, my home! And now you and the Avatar are going to destroy it with your precious Harmony Restoration Movement!" She told him in a matter-of-factly tone, but anger and resentment all evident.

A couple of week has passed...

Enyo was in her room, finally getting a break from all the traveling and things she had to do. Finding out things to trade and getting how much quantity should be made and shipped out was really harder than she initially thought, especially when her father relied on her for most business handling. She never thought she would put herself through this much work, but she knew in the end that it was worth it.

Suddenly her mother opened the door and walked in, Enyo sat up as there was a worried look on the woman's face. "Avatar Aang has came to see you, he said it was urgent."

Enyo felt her chest tighten because she knew whatever it was, it had concerned Zuko. It also made her think of the Promise that the two had made, causing her to clench her teeth and her eyes to have a gloss of sadness over them. It had hurt her every time she had thought about it. Still, she shook away the thoughts and got up and walked of the room as her mother followed suit after closing the door behind them.

When she reached the outside of her home, she had seen Aang and the Gang all by Appa waiting for her. "Look!" Sokka pointed at the Princess, "There's Enyo!" He was the first to run and give the girl a tight embrace, Katara following afterwords as Toph gave her a big grin.

Enyo returned both of their hugs with a bright smile on her face, but it lessened when she had seen the look on Aang's face. Whatever he had to say, she knew it was serious. They had let go of her and both siblings had a sad expression on their face, just what had happened? Enyo walked towards Aang, "Tell me." She said as her eyes watched as Aang lowered his before becoming serious once again.

"Zuko has broken part of the Restoration Movement. I'm starting to believe that the promise has been broken," Aang told her with a straight face as her eyes widened.

"No! You can't be serious!" The Princess threw her arms in a noway gesture, "Why would Zuko do that? Why would he tell me anything about this? How long has this been going on Aang? Why am I just hearing this now?" She fired question and after question, her voice rising after each question and cracking because she wanted to cry. Did this mean Aang had to kill Zuko? Was there a way she could save the Fire Lord?

Aang simply looked away, "I didn't know things would get this out of hand and because Zuko has been acting strange lately. I feel like he might break the promise..." He said as she stiffened. He did mention that he thought someone was trying to kill him and that there has been five attempts at his life.

"I need to see him." Enyo then placed her hand on Aang's shoulders, "Let me talk to him. Let me convince him that he is wrong," She pleased as she shook his shoulders, "I know I can convince him. You have to believe me Aang, please..."

The Avatar smiled as he gave her a firm nod, "That's why we came here."

"Huh?" She said curiously as Katara and Sokka were now next to her.

"We figured out of everyone," Sokka smiled as he continued, "that Zuko would listen to you."

Katara nodded her head in agreement, "We'll take you to see him before we go meet with King Kuei to try to arrange a meeting."

"Why did Zuko break his promise anyway? Did he... Did he back out with the Harmony Restoration Movement?" Enyo asked, fearing the worst.

Toph sighed, "Yup." She answered as she stuck her pinky in her ear.

"He has legitimate reasons though," The waterbender defended, "Yu Dao has been around for a long, long time. Centuries even and those people have merged with other Earth King citizens and even married outside their nationality and had children. How can we really break them up?" Katara explained as Enyo frowned.

'Zuko is worried about the people who have grown accustomed to living there their whole lives. How can you really push them out of the place of a home they always known? I know the feeling of when my dad forced me to leave.' The Sun Warrior thought as she then turned to Ru who was sleeping in his large form outside her home. "I'll take my dragon. You have to go see King Kuei immediately."

"I have to go to my Metal Bending school," She informed Aang, "and Snoozles is comin' with me as usual." She informed them before walking towards Enyo, "If anyone can make a difference in this, its you. Don't worry too much, kay Dragonhands?"

"Dragonhands? Ah, Toph. These nicknames you come up with." Enyo smiled because it definitely cheered up her and made her more confident to see Zuko despite the state that he was in. "I'll get going and I'll see you all soon. Take care."

"I hope Zuko hasn't changed," Aang said, "but I hope for your sake more than anyone else that we can save this." He told her as she got on Ru and she gave him an understanding nod.

"Thank you Aang." She smiled before patting the Dragon's side and headed off towards the Fire Nation.

Zuko had stood in the throne room and looked down at the fire before him. The fire danced in his amber eyes as he stared intensly at it before sighing, "This isn't me." He then dissipating the fire with quick hand movements.

"You haven't been you for a while." Enyo said as she walked towards the smoke, looking up at Zuko with concern in her eyes but a smile on her face.

"Enyo!" His face lit up, "When did you get here?"

"A few minutes ago. I was worried about you," She said as she then looked down, "I'm sorry I haven't come to see you sooner but I have been busy and Aang told me how you broke the promise."

"I did it because I saw how close the people were." He looked away, "They were so accustomed to the cultures, combing them and living harmoniously. I couldn't just take that away from them."

"I understand," Enyo replied, "but do you remember what you promised Aang?" She closed her eyes. "Are you really going to do this to him? To the world? To me?"

Zuko clenched his fists, "I have to do this. You have to trust me Enyo."

"I'm starting to think that I can't." Her voice was soft, "Because if you loved me, you wouldn't be putting an end to your life and to the harmony that you promised."

Before Zuko could protest someone had rushed into the throne room, "Fire Lord Zuko!"

"General Mak!" The Fire Lord said in surprise and in acknowledgement.

Enyo looked at the General, worried about what the man had came here for. "A message has arrived from the spies you sent to the Earth Kingdom."

The Princess's eyes went side, "You sent spies?"

General Mak continued on, "Your suspicions are confirmed. The Earth King's army now marches to Yu Dao."

"Father, you were right." Zuko mumbled in surprise as Enyo quickly went up towards Zuko.

"You have to stop this war!" Enyo grabbed onto his sleeves, shaking him as she looked at him and now noticed how sleep deprived he was. There were bags under his eyes and he looked like he hadn't ate much. "Zuko, what is happening to you? Why are you keeping secrets from me?" Her voice rised as she could feel her blood boiling.

Zuko placed his hands on her shoulders, "I have to fight back, Enyo. If I don't then Yu Dao will fall and all the people who lived their lives there will have destroyed homes. I haven't told you anything because I was unsure myself and you had priorities and I couldn't bother you with mine. Besides, my father was right about everything."

"Your father?" A gasp escaped her, "Y-You've been listening to Ozai?"

"He told me the Earth King would send him army and he was right! I wanted to sit down and talk to the Earth King but that's not going to happen! I have to fight, I can't surrender." The Fire Lord argued back as she shook her head, confused and hurt at the same time. "Please, please don't say your against me. Are you with me? Will you fight alongside me?"

The Sun Warrior felt a tear slide down her eyes, "Your telling me to fight my own friends?"

"I'm telling you to fight with your boyfriend against what's wrong." He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he felt her bury her face in his shoulder.

Thanks for the private messages as well as alerting and favoriting my story and importantly reviewing. I was glad to see them and read them and they also inspired me to keep on going. I hope you all aren't disappointed of how short the chapter is but I promise the next one will be longer and filled with some twists and turns!