When Lucan went to speak with Ageon'Veri, the dragon Cypress shared a space in the Aerd with, he dragged Furbaide along with him, ostensibly for his oratorical prowess, but Furbaide thought it was more likely for his calming effect on Cypress. She had all but exploded against the idea of him going off-world to find an alien dragon, when first presented with it at that dinner several days ago, and rather than getting accustomed to the idea since, she had only grown more and more adamantly against it.

Protective? Cypress? Naaaaaw, Furbaide shook his head with a smile at the thought.

However, since they needed transportation off-world, and Lucan wanted to surprise Drakiera with his plans once they had been fulfilled-- more likely he simply couldn't get a hold of her, for she wasn't about to make time in her busy schedule for one love-sick human-- they needed to make do with whoever they could get. Ageon was the only dragon any of them knew at all well, and he was probably the only dragon who was likely to help them. The big blue dragon had, for Cypress' sake, decided to hold onto life for a while longer once his bond, her cousin and mother-figure, died. Though he then lost the power of verbal speech at the loss of his chosen Equita's mental connection, he was still quite articulate mentally, and rather a friendly beast.

The outer, dragon-sized doors to the rider-suite were, by habit and necessity, closed against the Aerd's perpetual storm, but the inner, human-sized doors were thrown open to the hallway inside and what warmth it could offer. It took a lot of heat to keep the Aerd comfortable, and here in one of the highest points, it was almost always chilly. Ageon liked it, apparently, which was why they stayed. Cypress was usually found bundled up beside the fireplace, on the rare occasions she was actually inside.

"Knock knock!" Furbaide called, when Lucan paused just outside the door, and fitted words to action, rapping on the inside of the open door. "Anybody home?"

"Farther in," Cypress called back. "Come on in!"

"Hey, we're not thrown out yet," Furbaide told Lucan softly with a grin.

"She doesn't know I'm here yet," Lucan retorted, but he followed him through the entry room and into the study and bedroom beyond. Cypress didn't often use the "study" part, and was currently making use of the fireplace, as anticipated, with a course blanket thrown over her furred hindquarters and a softer one wrapped around her shoulders. As per her usual preference, she was 'tauran, hooved curled under her with an almost catlike flexibility and human back leaning against the couch. Ageon's dusky blue head, with its beaky muzzle and silvered crest, was poking in from the much larger room beyond where he was lounging, much farther from the source of heat but also obviously not much caring.

::Hello Fur, Luke,:: came his amiable mind-voice. ::Weren't expecting you today.::

"Hullo," Cypress echoed, giving Lucan a suspicious look and completely loosing her previous cheer at the prospect of company.

"Hello," Luke answered with a somewhat nervous smile of his own.

"Mind if we join you for a while?" Furbaide asked, still hanging onto his own easy smile. It was, after all, difficult to shake it.

::Of course not!:: Ageon sent with the warmth of a smile, and added for Cypress' benefit, ::More bodies means more heat, after all.::

"Suppose that's true," Cypress grumbled, and Furbaide took that as permission to settle against her flanks with a charming smile. She snorted at him with some amusement and didn't bother moving him. That was probably in part because he was fairly heavy, but probably largely because, since he was currently even more furry than she was as a tall, bipedal tiger, he would probably keep that flank quite cozily warm. As he was well aware of and respected her preference for her own sex, he was a perfectly safe to recline against her, even if he did flirt occasionally. Lucan, being somewhat prim and certainly devoted to his absent Lady, took up a seat on the opposite end of the couch, so as not to partake in any inappropriate touching with either.

"There, now, isn't that better?" Furbaide rumbled comfortably, eyes half-shut against the fire's glow and tail curling and uncurling absently. For being modeled off of a creature who was supposedly solitary, he did love physical contact, and if he could purr, like some of the small cat Felisians, he would have. "You make a nice pillow, Cy. Should make use of that talent more often. Have some nice girl spend the night, or something."

Blushing, she swatted half-heartedly at him. "Hush. We don't talk about that. Look at poor Luke, you just embarrassed him. See? He's blushing." A glance, and sure enough, the human was nearly as red as Cypress-- actually, redder, given his fair complexion compared to her dusky one.

"Ah, but so are you," he teased. "Which was, after all the point. You're so pretty when you blush."

::She's always pretty,:: Ageon interjected with a rumbling chuckle of his own.

"Hush!" Cypress repeated. She didn't take compliments well, not from friends; courtiers and politicians, certainly, but not people who didn't call her Lady.

"Hey, I got you to smile, at least," Furbaide pointed out.

"Which is more than most of us can manage," Lucan smiled ruefully.

"I'm sorry, I am being a bit of a bitch, aren't I?" Cypress sighed. "I just figured you were here about that stupid off-world bonding idea."

Furbaide and Luke exchanged looks before Luke admitted, "Well, actually...."

Cypress groaned. "I thought you'd given up on that!"

::What off-world bonding idea?:: Ageon asked curiously.

"Oh, just some crack-pot scheme--"

"I'm going to go off-world!" Lucan interrupted Cypress brightly, "There are lots of other planets out there with dragons who bond, just like the Geperna here. Since I don't seem to be a suitable choice for a Geperna dragon, I thought I might try some other type."

::Interesting,:: Ageon murmured, muzzle wrinkling in thought. ::And I assume you would be coming here to ask for trasportation off Mythicalae.::

"Well, yes," Lucan agreed. "If it isn't too much trouble, of course."

::Oh, it's hardly trouble at all. I don't make enough Abyssal trips these days. I must warn you, though, Luke: it won't be comfortable. It's not comfortable for shifters, and it's worse for humans.::

"Ageon! Stop encouraging him!" Cypress exclaimed, sounding appalled.

::Why? I think it's a good idea.::

"What?!"

Ignoring her, Ageon asked, ::When do you want to go?::

"As soon as I can get enough time off and choose a good world," Lucan said. "It should be soon."

::Oh, I think I know a good world to take you to, don't worry about that. The timing is really quite good. Just give me a day or so notice; I still do a little work around here to earn my keep, you know. If we get going in the next couple days, you shouldn't need to take more than a few days off.::

Lucan beamed and agreed, but after that, small talk was impossible, and both he and Furbaide beat a hasty retreat from Cypress' glowers and snarp comments. She really wasn't pleased about being over-ruled and ignored, particularly by her own guardian-dragon. They left her with Ageon trying to soothe her ruffled temper and parted ways, Lucan oblivious and smiling, and Furbaide just interested in finding more pleasant company, at least until his friend calmed down again!