An uproar could be heard from outside; there was a thud that shook the building, and the sound of men yelling. Some in pain, and some from the adrenaline of a combat joined. Sounds that were familiar to Courage.

"Sounds like she's taking the slow way," Courage said. "Doesn't want me to be caught up in any kind of carnage. That's not good for you; she likes to take her time, when she does this. And she's not any less tough."

"What do you mean?" The leader glowered down at her, one hand on a dagger at his side. "I swear, call her off, or--"

"Or what? You'll kill me? We've already discussed that option, and the fact that it isn't one you have." Courage couldn't keep the laughter out of her voice as she listened to the presumption of this kidnapper, as she heard him desperately try to reassert control of the situation. "Let's discuss the ones you do have. Your options, you foul-smelling oaf of a man, are to die quickly and painfully, die slowly and painfully, or let me go, and maybe live long enough to die on someone else's time. Choose carefully. She won't be any less angry after killing your men. Red dragons are notoriously hard to calm."

The yelling below continued, and the sounds of steel clashing. The inside of the room was quiet as the two men standing over her processed this, and then there was an almighty bang from below, the sound of a heavy door crashing off its hinges and to the floor.

"Think quickly, gentlemen," Courage said, "time is almost up. If she gets up here and you're still here, standing over a tied-up me, you're as good as charcoal. Sand's running, boys. Time to act."

The two of them moved immediately, lunging for the open window facing away from the door and presumably out to the back of whatever little compound they had here. It was only a second story window, which was fortunate for them as they leaped out of it without any rope or support. Courage could hear grunting as they landed, and then they were scrambling away, towards whatever cover they might be able to find, no doubt.

Courage sighed as she settled back against the wall, waiting. Not a couple of moments later, the door burst open, and a woman rushed through, an elaborate flaming greatsword in her hands. She was tall - closer to seven feet than she was to six - and well-built, a clear warrior. She wore no armor, though the slashes in her clothing showed red scale reinforcing the vital points on her tanned body, scale so hard no mundane weapon could penetrate them. Long red hair swung wildly around her face as her head whipped back and forth, looking for anything that might have been lurking in preparation to strike. Even with the tension of combat in her jaw and eyes, Courage couldn't help but admire the beauty of Fer'Atha's human form. Either of her forms was beautiful, really, but this was a different kind of beauty than the lethal, predatory grace of a dragon.

"Go easy, Fer'Atha. I'm here. I'm alright. The ones holding me left." Courage smiled at her partner, flexing her arms slightly to indicate that she was bound. "Cut me loose?"

Fer'Atha's glare was intense, her eyes like cinders in the dark of the room. "Where did they go? I'll make them pay for this, nobody tries to take you away from me, nobody!"

"Fer." Courage's voice was understanding, but firm. "It's okay. I'm...well, I'm not unharmed, but I'm alive. A quick shot of magic from you and I'll be right as rain. Just please come cut me loose, being tied up like this is not comfortable. There'll be time for the rest later."

Fer'Atha blinked at her, and the tension in her arms and shoulders slowly released, the sword vanishing into nothing as she released the magic that had summoned it. She walked across the room and knelt down next to Courage, working her fingertips under the ropes. She bit her nails - black, and sharp as claws - into the rope, and pulled roughly, slicing through them.

Courage sighed, and flexed her shoulders, bringing her arms out from behind her back. "Oh, gods, thank you. I was worried I'd lose feeling in them entirely. Though, that might not have been utterly terrible..." She held up her hands, bruised and damaged, with several of her fingers pointing in unnatural directions. "Looks worse than it feels, I guess. All that pain control training finally came in handy. Help me out?"

Fer'Atha's expression as she looked at Courage's hands was one of mixed concern and anger, and she closed her hands around Courage's broken ones, a green glow surrounding them as the healing magic began its work.

"I...was scared, Mari," Fer'Atha said. "You were just gone, no note or message or anything, I was so scared. I thought your brother and his men had found us, or maybe servants of the Black Dragonflight. I thought I'd never see you again..."

There were tears swimming in those crimson eyes as Fer'Atha regarded her, and Courage smiled back at her draconic partner. "It might be related to one of those things. I'm glad you didn't just burn the place; now we can look for some kind of clue as to who wanted me so badly. But for now, just know that I'm glad you came for me, that you found me."

The healing had finished, but Fer'Atha kept Courage's hands in hers, their gazes locked. "I'll always come find you," Fer'Atha said, her voice low and intimate. "You're everything to me."

"As you are to me." Courage removed one of her hands from Fer'Atha's, and set it on the dragon-woman's cheek. "Now come on. We've got more work to do. Are you comfortable staying in a human form for a little while longer?"

"As long as you like, Mari. What are we looking for?"

"Paperwork, perhaps," Courage said, giving her partner a wry smile. "Or at least, a big bag of gold. These men were paid to take me - let's find out who did the paying and why."