As soon as Harriet glanced in his direction, Draj knew what she was planning, or at least the gist of it. He also knew in this company, there was little to do but grin and bear it, and that is exactly what he did. This was simultaneously the best and worst thing about Harriet: she could give two shits about the level of politeness one should use in a crowd. 

Drajhan stepped closer to Harriet, placing a claw on her shoulder. "Never heard you once complain about it afterwards either, milady," Drajhan added before whispering in her ear: "Time and a place, sweetheart." He stepped forward, ready to deliver his own story. 

"I shall tell you a tale: one of great heroics and honor. I am no bard, so I pray you forgive the nature of this oratorio, but thus I commence: The tale of the Vindicator of the Southern Coasts!" Drajhan's voice filled the room with anticipation, and he augmented his tale with a wave of his hand as a sad song played softly.

"In years passed, my mother was accused of great treachery to the people. A rival house, followers of fiends like those who attacked the Gate, had accused her of infidelity to my father, for which they had no proof other than the shape of my sister's snout. But the people are fickle, and we were for a time exiles in our lands." Drajhan bowed his head in sorrow and briefly closed his eyes before they flashed open again. Drajhan motioned to Harriet, and a light breeze fluttered behind her, strands of her hair caught in the breeze. 

"It was then that Harriet's story occurred, as we were lost and far from any place we knew. She took us in and sheltered us, not caring about the scandals we fled. Despite this, my father could not bring himself to try to restore his honor. It was then that I knew. It was my destiny." The music altered, becoming a triumphant march as Draj moved next to Harriet, the wind catching his cape as well. 

"Together, we crossed the countryside, gaining troops to join our cause. A year of covert subterfuge combined with the harshness with which our rivals treated the common folk made the citizenry begin to turn to join our side once more. At the end of the year, Blam!" A spark of lights exploded from Draj's fingertips. "War broke out in Castle Caerziros. With the people turned against them, our rivals found no allies, and we were victorious! I commissioned that weapon of Harriet's as a thank you gift for her part. She helped me vindicate my parents and, more importantly, she helped me see me the way she did: a hero, worthy of Name and honor." 

The music swelled to a triumphant flourish and drew to a close. "I skipped over a few dozen details," Draj added nonchalantly, "but those were unnecessary trivials. What is important is that even when faced with the darkest despair, the only way to lose is to give up hope. Things will get better, even if we have to make them better ourselves."

[hider=Mechanics]Prestidigitation cast for music, wind, and sparks. [/hider]