Work Text:
“You are aware that my services are not cheap correct?”
“Yes Madam Matchmaker, we know that. But you are the best and most well known in your Guild. Given the circumstances as of now, we feel that our coming to see you was the right action.”
Delicate supple lips pull together slightly into a small frown as the reclining woman scans over the file sitting on her lap, her fingers thumbing through the pile of paper in it. She pins them with a hard gaze.
“And yet you avoided coming to see me from the beginning. Instead you went to see the lesser skilled matchmakers that are so sadly part of this Guild still. Who are deemed as embarrassments to the Guild. I would have thought that you checked the stats of each one of them before approaching any of them.”
The father sitting next to his wife nods quickly at her words while his wife simply covers her eyes.
“We did, Madam. We surely did.”
Among the shadows around them, in the other reclining chairs the bodies in them shift in their perches as the room seems to take on a distinctly frosty chill.
“And yet you decided to put your child through much heartache over the course of two years while going to the lesser matchmakers. Waiting only till the eve of her 30th life year to finally that you would visit me and ask of my matchmaking services to help her. To be frank, I am rather insulted.”
The old man cringes in his seat as his life mate glares at him with narrowed jade green eyes and so obviously clenching her hands together in her lap to keep from hitting him. Seeing this the Matchmaker chuckles softly as she runs her fingers across silkly fabrics and eyes the file sitting in her lap, in particular the name of her newest client as the wife hisses at her husband.
“I told you over and over that this particular Matchmaker is who we should have been to see first. Instead you landed us and our daughter's heart in this mess of your own doing. Madam Matchmaker, was your teacher, Madam Matchmaker Lu'laz?”
“She was yes... Ah now I remember you were one of the many successful matches that she had matched successfully with a partner over the course of her time as a Matchmaker. Was your current life mate the first match for you?”
The woman nods slightly, her expression one of calm bemusement as she eyes her life mate.
“Yes he was, Madam Matchmaker. I am ever grateful each passing day for our match up despite his irksome qualities. So very grateful to your teacher, Madam.”
“Indeed.”
The Madam Matchmaker eyes them thoughtfully before eventually coming to a decision, nodding slightly before clicking her teeth together three times. A younger female in a deep midnight blue dress and wearing a hooded cloak complete with a beautifully intricate face mask appears at her side from the darker shadows of the room.
“You summoned, Madam?”
“Yes my girl, we have a new case to match. This will be your assignment for the most part. You will come to me directly if you require assistance.”
“Yes of course, Madam. I will work hard on this one.”
The Madam hands over the large file to the girl and watches her head bow slightly to eye the new file in her hands.
“Begin immediately, my girl. You will look through the file and bring your recommendations for how handle this case to me. Honorable parents, I hope you both and your daughter will find our results satisfactory as they appear. You may leave my chambers now. We will discuss the matter of your payment before you leave.”
“By your command, Madam.”
“Thank you, Madam Matchmaker.”
Three months later, her office and official chamber receives a message of heartfelt thanks from the couple's daughter over her match. The Madam Matchmaker shares a slight smile with her young helper as they set work on another matching-up case.