Katarina woke up in the middle of the night, it was dark.

'Did I have a nightmare..?' she sat up on her bed gasping, hoarse breathing, she wondered, covered in a cold sweat.

She couldn't remember what dream she was having to feel this.. numb?

She didn't feel scared or shocked.

It was just numbness, though when she pinched herself, she felt some form of pain from it.

It was rather weak for pain though.

For some reason, she had a rather high pain tolerance right now.

Humming as she looked around.

It was quiet and lonely.

She got out of her bed to look out the balcony.

There were guards on night patrol as she had expected, 'What happened..?'

She scratched the back of her head, blinking, she looked at her hand, 'Huh?'

Red.

Her bandaged hands and bandaid-covered fingers were painted in blood.

"Ahh.." she huffed, looking around her, she had no choice but to ask for a servant still awake to get her a medical kit or at least something to help with her now opened hand wounds.

Opening the door softly, she took a peak outside.

"Is there anything I could be of help to you, Young Duke?"

She looked to her left, she didn't feel at all surprised.

The servant suddenly flinched when she met her eyes though, 'What a hostile look..!'

Katarina's eyes must've looked as though it was brimming with danger as she ordered them while raising the bleeding hand, "I need help with my hands."

"Ah, of course. I'll get the doctor right away." The servant bowed, hurrying to do as asked.

"Ah--wai-..?" Katarina stood there feeling bewildered, 'I don't need a doctor for this though... I can do it myself just fine.'

...

"Why don't you go on ahead and rest up?" D/n suggested, 'Tsk... I can't believe I had to be the only one left still awake to take care of someone injured.. who the hell even get's injured at such a late hour???'

"I'll head straight to my Master's building, please make sure to help the Young Duke with the injuries on her hands, Doctor." The servant said before taking her to leave after turning a hall opposite from him.

'Young Duke?? Hmm... It'd seem the Grand Duke had adopted a son instead of gotten engaged to the princess.' d/n hummed, standing in front of the doors.

He reached a hand to knock, calling out, "Pardon me, I've received an order that a doctor was needed here?"

"Come in."

...

Katarina had turned the lights back on, reading a book after wiping her hands clean of the drying blood a while ago.

The doctor walked inside, surprised to see a woman instead of a young boy.

Katarina walked over to him after setting the book aside on the desk, she reached with both hands, "The wounds had opened by accident a while ago."

The doctor cleared his throat aloud, hurrying over to ask to sit down on the bed alongside her.

"Please, excuse me." He reached to check on it.

'The wounds under the band-aids opened up a little.. these just need to be cleaned up and wrapped in thin bandages instead of new band-aids, what kind of idiot thought these were just tiny scratches anyway..?'