Setab Solves the Murder

[♥Dementia♥]

Setab Learns of the Murder of a Lover – Rank 1.1

Setab had a very long and exhausting night working, and she returned to her hotel room in Crux worn completely out. She passed out on her bed with her kitten companion, Kamenwati, as soon as she arrived home. Setab wasn’t getting a very good nights sleep because she was dreaming that someone was following her. Setab’s paw twitched as the strange Sphinx in her dreams got closer and closer. She couldn’t make out his features – merely that he was a male. He appeared to be masked in shadows. Realizing he was likely dangerous and out to hurt her, she felt the sudden need to get far away from the masked Sphinx. She ran away as fast as she could, looking for a place in her dreamland to hide.

Setab’s paws swung wildly, smacking Kamenwati and upsetting his rest. He snuggled up underneath Setab’s chin, trying to get back to sleep. In Setab’s dream, the shadow Sphinx was gaining on her. Since she wasn’t getting very good rest, Setab was drooling heavily. A big string of drool dripped from her mouth, plopping right onto Kamenwati’s head. Angry at being awoken and at being wet, Kamenwati let out an angry “mew!” and hopped down from the bed. Setab flopped over in bed, but she didn’t wake up. Her fluffy black and purple, striped tailed curled protectively around her body. The mystery Sphinx was gaining on her!

Kamenwati was annoyed with his owner, so he curled up in the window. Looking out, he saw armored guards running in the street below. He had never seen so many guards in one place before in his entire life. He was a very curious kitten, and he sat watching their frantic running and admiring their shimmering armor. It took him a good half hour before he realized perhaps he should wake up Setab so she could look, too. Surely she would be interested to watch the armored guards running around like crazy Sphinxes.

The mysterious man in Setab’s dreams had caught her, and she was trapped against the wall. She could finally see his face – at least the portion that wasn’t covered by his assassin’s mask. His eyes were pupilless and a shocking, pure white. He had a silver splotch over one eye, but that isn’t what caught Setab’s attention most. He had a nasty scar on top of his eyebrow, which caused the hairs there to grow awkwardly. She stared at his face, knowing she was about to die.

Just as Kamenwati had jumped out of the window sill and onto the carpeted floor of their shared hotel room, Setab’s black and purple decorated body crashed from the bed to the floor. Setab’s bright purple cat-eyes flew open, and she let out a loud, piercing scream. Kamenwati ran and hid underneath the night-stand, startled by Setab’s fall and her scream. Kamenwati wasn’t the only one who had been thrown on alert by Setab’s screaming. No more than two minutes later, Setab and Kamenwati heard paw steps coming up the stares and knocks on adjacent doors, coupled by guards questioning the other hotel occupants about a scream. Kamenwati stayed hidden underneath the nightstand while Setab pulled herself up off the floor. Just then, the guards reached there door, banging loudly. Setab quickly ran her paws through her long hair and hurried over to the door. She opened it to see a very handsome male guard with a troubled look on his grey-cat face.

“Ma’am, are you okay?” the guard asked, obviously highly concerned and on edge. “We heard screaming.”

Setab peeked out into the hallway and noticed the multitude of guards that were on her hotel floor. She was stunned at the sight, and a bit fearful. “Y-Yes, I’m fine..” she said, sounding unsure, “I just awoke from a bad dream and was startled. It was I who screamed. I’m very sorry.” She looked down sheepishly. “Um, what is going on…?” she queried.

The grey tabby guard with his silver armor looked very sad for a moment, almost disgusted. “There’s been a murder. Dr. Havelock was killed last night in his hotel room.”

Setab’s purple eyes widened to the size of quarters, or perhaps even the moon. She was stunned to silence for a moment. “I-I’m sorry, did you say Dr. Havelock?” Before the guard could answer her question, Setab had fainted, falling into the guards arms.

[♥Dementia♥]

Setab is Suspected of Murdering Dr. Havelock – Rank 1.2

Setab awoke in the grey tabby guard’s arms moments after having fainted. She thought for a moment, not exactly sure what had happened. It took a mere few seconds for her to remember that the guard had just told her Dr. Havelock had been murdered. Dr. Havelock was a very well-to-do doctor here in Crux, and since Setab had arrived through the portal, he had been one of her very best customers. She had spent many nights in hotel rooms with him. In fact, she had been with him just last night doing her duties as a Seductress. He was the exact reason she had been so exhausted.

Surely he couldn’t really be dead? Setab thought to herself. If he is, I hope I’m not the last one who saw him! Setab’s mind was racing, but her thoughts were interrupted by the grey tabby Sphinxes’ partner.

“Babu, look at her skirt...” the grey tabby’s partner said, “doesn’t that material look just like the material we found at the crime scene?”

Babu’s (the grey tabby) partner was a solid dark brown Sphinx with feathering around his feet and gold armor. He seemed to have more power than Babu, and to be much more intimidating. His eyes were brown with flecks of gold in them, and that’s all Setab could think about because she didn’t want to think about the words that had just come out of his mouth. She admired the tendrils of dark chocolate-colored curls of hair around his face.

Setab murmured, almost as if the voice wasn’t her own, “Excuse me, what did you just say…?” She wasn’t afraid of the guards. She was well respected and serviced men and women of higher ranks than them. Just then, Babu’s partner noticed a tear in Setab’s skirt. There was material missing.

“Ma’am, I’m sorry, but I think we’re going to have to take you in,” the handsome, dark brown Sphinx said. He grabbed Setab’s arms (or front legs?) as Babu helped him. “I’m Gamal, and you, miss, are under arrest in connection with the murder of Dr. Havelock.”

Setab was shocked. Her mouth fell open, and she fought briefly but then realized that she was better to go. “I didn’t kill Dr. Havelock!” she shouted. As Babu and Gamal led her out of her hotel room, she noticed that the other guests were standing in their doorways watching the commotion.

“Best to stay quiet, miss,” Babu said quietly, leading her out far more gently and kindly than Gamal.

Setab took his advice, hanging her head in shame. This day was certainly not starting out well, but she knew for a fact that she did not kill Dr. Havelock. Surely they would find evidence to prove her innocence and let her go. It wasn’t that bad, surely. The entire way to lock up, she wandered how on earth this could have possibly happened. Dr. Havelock was so well respected and he helped so many people. Surely there was no reason someone would want him dead… Setab did not know what to think. She felt horrible for Kamenwati, realizing he had been left alone in the hotel room. She had to make sure someone went to get him very soon, as he wasn’t used to being without Setab for very long.

The two guards locked Setab up in a cell. Gamal left immediately to go take care of the details of Setab’s arrest, but Babu lagged behind. “It’s going to be okay, miss,” Babu said to Setab, “I don’t think you killed Dr. Havelock. But we have to keep you until we are 100% certain.” With that, Babu disappeared. Setab was left alone with her thoughts.

Setab cried for hours, mourning the loss of one of her best customers and a great man and also crying for herself because she had just been arrested in connection with an actual murder. She never had dreamed in a million years she would ever be arrested for anything, especially not a murder. She bawled until Gamal came back and yelled at her to be quiet, and her crying quieted until she finally fell fast asleep.

~~~~

When Setab awoke the next morning, she sat silently in her cell. I am going to figure out who did this so I can clear my name. I just have to find someone to bail me out. she thought to herself. Perhaps I can ask Babu to take a message to a friend...? No, that won't work... To Setab's surprise, she heard a familiar, quiet little "mew" and then Kamenwati squeezed through the bars, snuggling into Setab's leg.

"Kamenwati...?" Setab whispered excitedly.

My kitty can take the message! she thought.

"Kamenwati, this is very important," Setab said in a hushed tone, "You must find Xylia and get her to come down here."

Kamenwati cocked his head, confused.

Setab smacked her paw over her face. "XxxxxxyyyyyylllllIA," she said, frustrated.

Kamenwati mewed excitedly, attracting the guard's attention. Setab smacked her paw over his mouth, hushing him. After the guard had decided nothing was wrong, Setab gave Kamenwati a desperate look. The little black kitty swished his tail and mewed before sneakily escaping back through her cell's bars and disappearing. Setab hoped he understood.