The Heroine's Evil Daughter

Chapter 4: Something Is Wrong With The Princess

"Lottie!" Sasha panicked and reached to pull her daughter back.

She saw Charlotte approaching the rose, but thought nothing of it. When she saw her daughter reach for it, she wanted to stop her. But she was too slow.

"Your highness!" The maids were in shock and rushed to the princess.

"Don't be scared mother, it really didn't hurt." Charlotte 'comforted' Sasha.

"What do you mean it doesn't hurt!? How could it not hurt!? Oh no... Your hand is injured! It will leave a scar!" Sasha knelt down and held her daughter's bleeding palm.

"Shh. Don't scream mom." Charlotte said in a innocent tone. ' Your screaming hurts my ears. Is this another of your ways of torturing me?'

"We need to get back this instant!" Sasha picked Charlotte up and turned to the maids, "summon the imperial physician right this instant!"

**************

"How does it look...?" Sasha asked nervously.

"The princess's injury will heal in around two weeks. Just don't let it get wet." The imperial physician spoke as he covered Charlotte's palm with bandages.

"Will it leave a scar...?" Lucas's voice slightly trembled.

"Most likely..." A drop of sweat dripped down the imperial physician's forehead. Will he be punished?

No...no... Lucas was a kind ruler. He wouldn't be punished...

But, surprisingly, that was the least of his concerns. What made the imperial physician puzzled was that...

Treating such an injury should have been painful for such a little girl. But Charlotte seemed calm... Almost terrifyingly calm...

She didn't flinch even once.

"Princess... Does it hurt?" He asked.

"No." Charlotte answered with a blunt tone. Her expression calm and composed. But if you look closer into her eyes... She seemed numb and cold.

"Your majesties, may I try something?" The imperial physician kneeled before the Emperor and Empress.

"...? Yes?" Lucas gave his permission. Even though he was not clear of what the imperial physician was planning to do.

"Then..." The imperial physician turned back to the princess and pressed on her injured palm with little strength. Small amount of blood oozed out.

"Imperial physician!" Sasha panicked and screamed for the imperial physician to stop.

But the Imperial physician didn't pay attention to the empress. He was focused on Charlotte's appearence.

A girl her age should have been crying and wailing. But she wasn't. She didn't even change her expression. As if she didn't feel it at all...

There was something wrong with the princess...

"Your majesty..." The imperial physician looked back at the emperor and empress with a puzzled yet horrified expression.

"What? What's wrong!?" Lucas, seeing the imperial physician being scared, also began to get worried.

"Your majesty... May this servant speak to your majesties outside?" The imperial physician timidly requested.

"Alright..."

***************

"What do you mean my daughter can't feel pain!? Stop spewing nonsense!" Sasha screamed with panic.

"Calm down your majesty! This servant isn't completely sure yet!" The imperial physician kneeled.

Sasha was terrified. She was panting.

"Explain! How could this have happened!? She was born completely healthy!" Lucas was angered. He never realized his darling daughter had something wrong with her.

"Though it's rare... This servant has heard of this before. Something like this was last reported about 50 years ago. There was a young boy who couldn't feel pain.

This strange occurrence... No physician has been able to explain it. But though it might seem harmless for a second... It's actually quite dangerous..." The imperial physician, kneeling, explained.

Hearing the physician's words, Lucas and Sasha only felt their hearts race even faster!

"Not being able to feel pain is extremely dangerous. The young boy this servant mentioned, due to this mysterious illness, would harm himself physically. He would scratch his eyes and even try to claw it out..." The imperial physician continued.

"What!?" The two rulers exclaimed with fright at the same time.

"From what a physician observed, the young boy harmed himself due to the fact that he couldn't feel anything. If one can't feel pain, they wouldn't know if their action was actually harmful unless someone steps in and stops them. The princess too might harm herself due to her curiosities..."

"Then what do we do!? You must cure my daughter!" Sasha felt herself growing faint. What caused her daughter to have such a strange illness!?

"Forgive me your majesty! But as of this time, there isn't a known cure or way to solve this!" The imperial physician begged for forgiveness.

"This... This can't be...!" Sasha's head grew painful. If word got out to the people... More rumors would be created about her!

*************
"Lottie.... I have something to tell you..." Sasha returned back to the room with a pale face.

"What's wrong mom?" Charlotte innocently asked.

Seeing Charlotte so ' unaware,' Sasha felt her heart ache. Her poor daughter...

"The imperial physician told us that there's something different about you... This something is not experienced by most other children..." Sasha began to tell her about her condition while Lucas watched from afar.

Hearing Sasha attempt to explain her condition, Charlotte felt bored. She knows. She knows something is wrong with her.

Though Sasha seemed concerned about her. Charlotte felt nothing. Not gratefulness, not sympathy. Nothing. Because at the end of the day... She is like this... Because of them.

But for the sake of being not suspicious, Charlotte acted shocked and sad.

"Mom... What am I supposed to do!? Am... Am I gonna die?" Charlotte anxiously questioned Sasha.

"No no of course not!" Sasha cried and pulled Charlotte into her arms.

"Lottie, tell me. Can you feel this?" Lucas approached and pinched Charlotte's hand.

"I can feel dad's hand touch mine... But nothing else..." Charlotte's face didn't change the slightest bit. Even though Lucas pinched her with strength.

After describing exactly about what can she feel and what she can't to the imperial physician and participating in a few tests, the Imperial physician seemed to have an answer. Though it was still quite unclear...

"Her highness seems to be able to feel touch but not pain. This one has never seen anything like this before... This physician has no clear diagnosis... It's either something wrong with her body... Or it could be her mind..."

"Well... Could there be a treatment...!?" Lucas furrowed his brows. Clearly frustrated.

"Unfortunately, there's no available treatment as of right now your majesty." The imperial physician shook his head, his face ashen.

"What do we do dad?" Charlotte grabbed the tip of Lucas's sleeve.

"We... We can't let anyone know. This matter will remain a secret. Anyone who let's this get out to the public will be punished!" Lucas hardened his heart and commanded.

No one shall know about this matter. Only the Emperor, Empress, a few physicians, and Charlotte's maid servants will be aware of this.

If word gets out that the first princess is actually ill and could not be treated... Only trouble will come.