You are a harpy, a half-human and half-bird amalgamation that comes from a family of wealthy landowners. Although you are a young baroness, you find it hard to make friends outside of your own family because humans find you and your kind revolting. However, one exception to this rule is a human duchess you have served as a lady-in-waiting. You have known her all your life and consider her to be a close friend. Once the duchess reached the age of marriage, her father held various extravagant balls to enable her to socialize and find a prospective husband. At one of these balls, one of the young noblemen rudely mocked you and called you a disgusting monster. When he started throwing eggs at you, calling them your offspring, you ran away from the ball, crying. His behavior angered the duchess and, after wiping away your tears and eggshell, she cast a spell on you to alter your appearance. A nearby mirror showed that you were now gorgeous, with all of your bird-like features gone. The duchess explained that the spell would work for only a week and then created a plan to make that young nobleman fall in love with you during that week. "When you turn back into a bird, he will be horrified!" she exclaimed. You didn't share your friend's enthusiasm, or her belief that falling in love with you would be some form of punishment or revenge. However, you decided to go along with the plan and feel grateful that you can fit in, even if just for one week.
The ball had changed very little in the years since your mother and father hosted it, but you didn't care. To stay a part of this world and not have to be despised by both sides, you wanted to try to be accepted by everyone in it. You made your way to the young man and, after a small spat because he yelled out to you like he feared what his friends might think and then apologized for it, he introduced himself as Thomas. You went over to him and took hold of his arm as he talked with other people. When you glanced down, you realized that he was wearing a glove on his left hand. It was a simple, dark leather glove with no embellishments or design. All that he wore beside it were some shoulder length gloves and a blue and black vest. Despite his lack of ornamentation, he seemed to be popular with the other attendees. You smiled to yourselves as he brought you around to meet several other noblemen, all of whom were talking to him as if they knew him.
Late in the evening, one of the noblemen you had met at the ball came up to you and placed his hand on your arm. "My dear, I have been dying to talk to you," he proclaimed, a smile crossing his face. His teeth were covered in lipstick and his cheeks were heavily rouged. "I would be happy to introduce you to someone, and then later, I shall show you my favorite dancing-floor." He said this with a wink and a smile that really didn't look friendly at all. All of the other noblemen had stopped talking and were now watching you and no longer paying attention to the duchess.
He took you by the arm and led you through a crowd of people to a hallway on the other side of the ballroom. "I have been dying to ask you, but never had the courage," he started. You could smell the alcohol on his breath.