Aespa Oneshots

(WinRina) Promise

"This is your mission, bring back it's head and you'll be granted whatever it is you desire" 

The emperor was a cruel man but he knew what his duties were and that was of course protecting his people... Which is why he's in the throne room, sitting on his golden throne with his head held up high infront of the one kneeling infront of him, ordering the trusted "Sword" of the empire to take on the task of slaying the dragon that was rumbling the grounds of the City

"I shall ask something of worth once I come back then" 

Long blonde hair, a sword that shined greater than jewels and cut everything in it's way, an astonishing face that has everyone envying... Is only a sum of the description for the Grand Duke of the empire, the one who is envied and desired by both ladies and gentlemen all across the empire

"Then I'll leave things in your care this time again... Winter Kim, Grand Duke" The emperor announces and Winter stands up, she bows one more time to the emperor before making her grand exit out of the room

"Prepare my steed and the troops from the Golden Order... We're heading right up the mountain and into the cave that the dragon has perched in" Winter commanded and her commander rushes to inform everyone in their troop of the mission, she walks past the main gates where many were shouting her name, yelling out praises, compliments and of course their desire for the Grand Duke to succeed in her task

Yet none of these words ever made Winter happy, sure she was glad to be of use to the empire, she was glad that she was saving everyone whenever she's being put into these kinds of missions but it never truly made her happy in a sense that she feels fulfilled... Because she knows the cruelty of the world, she was seen not as a hero but as the Grand Duke who is entrusted by the Emperor... Her standing was high so it was to be expected

"The troops have gathered, your highness" One of the guards calls out to her and she turns her back to the cheers of the people

"Pathetic... All they do is cheer... " 

Winter has had a difficult road the moment she was born... Her father was a Duke, highly respected in the empire and her mother came from a well off family of aristocrats and yet she was almost despised by everyone the moment she was born... Why? Because she was the first daughter... She was also the last as her mother became infertile after giving birth to her, meaning that the Duke had no successor for his seat

So he worked her off, giving her harsh criticism with everything she did and even forced her to learn swordsmanship to at least live out his dream of having a son... He even went as far as to cut her hair to a short length to make her look like a son... Soon after that, he had fully gone crazy, he couldn't bear with the fact that he had no son and wouldn't have one and so he took himself out

As for Winter's mother... She grieved her daughter's birth, she had lost her purpose to the duke which casted her aside, never to be loved and cared for by her husband...

So she turned a blind eye to everything he did to their daughter, in hopes that maybe... He would look at her the same again but that never came and after her husband's death, she was drowned in depression, she didn't come out of her room, she didn't eat nor did she look at her daughter and one morning Winter decided to check on her only to find her sleeping peacefully... With a non beating heart

Winter witnessed all of this while growing up and it surely didn't help when both her parents succumb to their deaths when she hadn't even reached of age yet, it left a sour impression on her... That humans are so incredibly awful to have her experience such a life... She didn't ask to be born yet she was still brought upon by her parents, and even then they still blamed her for the things they lacked