Disclaimer: In chapter 1.

Author's Notes: Between work, work, uni and life, I plan to have an update for you at least once a week. Probably on Sundays (AEST). Thank you to everyone reading, reviewing, favouriting and following "Hero". You guys rock! Actually did some research for this chapter: Horse breeds on The World Ride website.

After speaking with the burly man behind the bar, who confirmed the victim had been in the tavern last night, Emma went to find Meg. She hadn't seen him herself but she had been distracted. It's not like she goes around expecting to be a possible witness. She found Meg in the kitchen calming the girl who had found the body.

"Stop sipping and take a gulp, Anna," Meg lifted the bottom of the glass, practically pouring it into the girl's mouth.

"Meg, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Meg turned to Emma and nodded. She topped up the glass and then followed Emma into the main area. "Who dunnit?"

"We don't know yet," Emma shoved her hands in her pocket. "Look, I know you didn't do it because we were, um, busy… But I need to ask if you've seen him before?"

Meg stuck her tongue and looked to be concentrating really hard. Several moments passed before her face lit up, "Yep!"

Emma waited. "And?"

"He was staying here."

"And?"

"He wasn't alone."

"Who was he with?" Regina asked as she walked up behind Emma.

"A woman."

"What did she look like?" It's like pulling teeth, Emma huffed.

"Umm," Meg stuck out her tongue again. "She was plain looking. Shifty. I didn't like her."

"Yes, I'm sure you're the best judge of character," Regina smiled sweetly and continued before Emma could say anything. "Is she still here? What room is she staying in?"

"Right next to yours."

Regina held out her hand and waited.

"We need the key," Emma explained. "We need to search the room, and hopefully find this woman."

"Right." Meg disappeared and reappeared quickly. "Here."

Regina took the key and turned without another word. She paused when Emma didn't follow, "Are you coming Miss Swan?"

Emma nodded and followed, "So I guess we're partners."

"We're nothing of the sort," Regina said a little too quickly. "I am simply letting you assist me in solving this murder."

"Assist you, huh?" Emma smirked. "Good thing we don't need search warrants and the Xenaverse."

Regina ignored her. She marched up the stairs and across the landing, Emma right on her heels. She paused outside the door and then looked at Emma. She gestured towards the door and handed the key over.

Emma knocked. They waited, and then knocked again. With only silence on the other side, they both nodded in agreement to open the door. Emma slid the key into the lock and turned it. She pushed the door open and scanned to room for any sign of an assailant. She took a tentative step in and checked behind the door.

"Ok, it's safe," she waved Regina in. "Looks like they travelled light. There are just two bedrolls in the corner."

"The bed looks slept in," Regina reluctantly felt the sheets with her hand. "She's been up for a while. Perhaps the she's gone to the market?"

"What are you doing in my room?" A reedy voice demanded from the doorway.

Emma held out her hands and stepped in front of Regina. "Easy, we're not here to hurt you. We wanted to make sure you're alright."

"Who are you?"

Regina gently pushed Emma aside. "Have you seen the man who checked in with you?"

The woman's eyes narrowed, "Why are you asking about Mannius?"

"When was the last time you saw him?" Emma asked.

"I want you out of my room, right now," The woman stormed forward, a knife suddenly in her hand.

Emma pulled Regina behind her and backed them away from the woman. She watched warily as the woman moved around them, knife still clutched in her hand and pointed towards them. She pushed Regina in the direction of the entrance, and walked backwards herself until they were outside. The door slammed and locked. They stared for a moment before Regina huffed off to their room.

"I thought we discussed this protecting nonsense."

Emma didn't close the door completely and watched through the gap. "Yeah, well, I'm not going to stop so get used to it." She added, "And I don't want to fight about it. Again."

Regina crossed her arms with a stern look.

Emma glanced up quickly before she returned to her surveillance. "Maybe one of us should go get Xena."

"Don't you think you can handle it yourself, Sheriff?" Regina smirked. "Can't do anything without your hero? Maybe we should invite the bard and the madam too."

"Cut it out Regina," Emma snapped.

Regina huffed, but made no further remarks as they waited. She had decided to try and be at least civil with Emma, which was hard because the blonde got her so riled up. If they were going to make it home to Henry it was in her best interest to find a way to get along with Emma, or at least try not kill her. Henry would never forgive her for that. It occurred to her that she would be blamed for anything bad that happened to Emma in this world, whether she was responsible or not. The thought chilled her to the bone as she realised she would have to ensure the safe return of her son's birth mother, or she would lose him forever.

After minutes of silence, Emma asked, "Why are you doing this?"

Regina absently stared at Emma's back while she absorbed the question and decided on an appropriate answer, "I'm trying to help."

"No, I know that bit. I meant why are you being weird about Meg?" Emma swiftly glanced at Regina in time to see her face pinch at Meg's name.

"I don't trust her."

"You know I can tell when you're lying, right?"

"I am not lying, Miss Swan." Regina internally rolled her eyes at herself. You know why you don't like her, you just won't admit it.

"You're not telling the truth either."

"Look, I'd rather not fight about this again. Can we just focus on solving the murder?"

"Sure. It'd be refreshing not to have you yelling at me." Emma offered a smile over her shoulder to show her comment wasn't meant to be hurtful.

Regina forcibly stopped herself from glaring. She gave a small nod but said nothing.

"Why does trouble always follow us?"

"Follow me, don't you mean?" Xena smirked at Gabrielle.

"Us."

Xena grinned but continued through the town. It was a conversation they have had many time before, and it always ended in the same conclusion; bad things happen and it was up to them to fix it when they came across it. Xena observed all they people as they strolled through the market on their way to the stables. Sure, they were on a mission, but who said Xena couldn't enjoy a nice walk with her…

"It got pretty heated between Regina and Emma. I wonder when they're going to realise the tension doesn't stem from hatred."

"Gabrielle, stay out of it. If, and I mean if they realise it then they should do it on their own. You can't force someone to love you." Xena's voice was tinged with sadness.

Gabrielle softly grasped Xena's hand for a moment before she got distracted by a shiny shawl. "Ooo, this is pretty, don't you think Xena?"

"Yeah," Xena smiled. "It'd look good on you."

"You think?"

"Hey! If you want to get your grubby hands all over it then you have to buy it first!" The wrinkled man wheezed.

Gabrielle let go and put her hands on her hips, "Maybe you would have sold it already if you'd let people try it on."

Before he could argue back Xena grabbed hold of the green shoulder strap and pulled her friend, "Come on Gabrielle. We have a mystery to solve, remember?"

"Consider yourself lucky!" The bard yelled at the man.

They made their way to the stables at a quicker pace while Gabrielle grumbled about venders and manners. Xena was planning to come here today anyway to check on Argo. She had promised her steed that she would when they left her here yesterday afternoon. They walked in to find the stableboy grooming a black horse.

"I haven't touched her, just as you asked," the boy said quickly.

"Relax, it's ok," Xena got annoyed how easily people were intimidated by her. It's not like her sword was drawn. She quietly said to Gabrielle, "Why don't you find out what you can while I groom Argo."

"Right." Gabrielle agreed and casually made her way to the boy under the pretence of looking at all the horses. Xena watched her progress from behind Argo. "It always amazes me how many different patterns there are to horses coats."

"They're special. There are as many different coats as there are people."

"Really?" Gabrielle smiled disarmingly and the boy nodded mutely. "Wow."

Xena rolled her eyes.

"So, we met this guy at the tavern last night, and he said his horse was the fairest in all the lands. I told him that's not possible, because Argo is the best looking horse."

In one of those strange moments where Gabrielle thought she must be crazy for thinking Argo could understand her, the horse neighed.

"The guy was about this tall," Gabrielle held her hand a bit above her head, "with dark curly hair and nice clothes."

"Ah, the argolic," he put the brush down and led Gabrielle to the next stall. The horse was a chestnut colour, with toned limbs and a strong neck. "I think his name was Mannus or something… I don't know. I only spoke to his wife. Um," he frowned in concentration. Clearly he had a better memory for horses. "It was a strange name… from north I think. Naz, Nastaji… Nastaja. That was it."

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows. She'd heard a lot of names in her time, but not that one. "Did she say why they were in town?"

"No…. yes… I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?" Xena demanded, exasperated.

Gabrielle shot her a glare. "What were the words she used? I'm a writer so maybe I can figure it out? I do like a good puzzle," she winked at the stableboy.

"It was a-a good har-harvest," he stammered. "The town. That's what confused me. We're a lumber town. How can they harvest the town?"

"I know how," Xena handed the brush she had been using to the boy. "Let's go Gabrielle."

"Thanks for your help!" Gabrielle called out as she was once again dragged. When they were outside she swatted Xena's hand away. "Stop doing that, it'll stretch. Then it won't stay on properly."

Xena's step faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. "They're thieves."

"How do you know?"

"'Harvesting a town'," Xena said emphatically. At the blank look she got she sighed. "Thieves sometimes compare themselves to farmers. They harvest crops too, but townsfolk and their valuables are the crops."

"Oh… I hadn't heard that one before."

"Yeah, well you have now." Xena muttered. "Ask Autolycus when we see him next."

"Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle froze. She forced a smile on her face before she turned. "Hi Joxer!"

He lumbered up to the women and pulled them both into a hug. "I'm so glad to see you guys! You wouldn't believe what happened! Jett was visiting the folks too, and he says it was just a coincidence but I think he came home to see me for my birthday. Anyway, things were fine until Jett told them I was travelling with you two. Well, that's when the Trojan War started all over again. I mean, how aren't they happy that I have two sidekicks make sure their wittle Joxie-woxie is safe?"

"Joxer?"

"Yeah Xena?"

"Let go," she growled.

"Oh, right," he loosened his grip and Xena and Gabrielle pulled themselves away. "Have you been to Meg's yet? She's really spruced up the joint." He blushed. "I ah, came through here a few moons back…"

"Yes. It's lovely." Gabrielle resisted teasing him. "Not the safest place though."

"What do you mean?" He asked, offended they would suggest anything bad towards Meg's home.

"Some guy got whacked there last night," Gabrielle explained.

"I know the girls can be a bit rough, but…"

"Joxer, she means a man was killed. He was literally whacked in the head. With a shovel." Xena clipped the back of his helmet for emphasis.

"Ow!" He whined. He stopped suddenly, his face transitioning from pain, to surprise, to glee. "Aww, you guys," he waved his hand. "You set up a murder mystery for me to solve?"

"We didn't…" Gabrielle was cut off.

"That's the best birthday present ever!"

"By the Gods," Xena groaned and walked off.

"A little flexing of the mental muscles is good for every warrior." Joxer tapped his helmet and winced. "Gotta keep the mind sharp Gabrielle. You never know when you're going to need to get out of an impossible situation with just your bare hands and your wits."

We won't need to solve the next murder. I'll do it myself! "Hey Xena, wait up!"