MARRIAGE BROKER
(Reading.)
I'll skip the introductory items, identical in each of your contracts. The first point of business would be--let's see. Ah, here. Brokerage agrees to locate and engage, on behalf of the contracting party, a bride possessed of the following qualities. She must be a woman of sizable stature, young but of full physical maturity, and suited to bearing large infants.

ARIC
That's enough. We can plainly see the girl is tiny.

MARRIAGE BROKER
But the bride is quite tall for a woman, and, I am assured by our physician, sufficiently sturdy for--

KOLBA leaps to her feet.

KOLBA
(Outraged.)
What? Ser BROKER, I am appalled. What manner of respectable brokerage could deal in such crass terms?

MARRIAGE BROKER
Bride Kolba, please! We pride ourselves on six generations of matching persons who suit every need expressed by the prospective partner.

ARIC
(Gesturing.)
Look at her. Mutes and martyrs, I could toss her across the room with one hand.

KOLBA
Yes, no doubt your brutish strength will serve as an accurate measure of my--my--

ARIC frowns and clenches his fists.

MARRIAGE BROKER
Serra per Lembarros, sit down.

Startled by the use of her family's House name, she does.

MARRIAGE BROKER
Thank you. Your input while we review your groom's contract should be limited to necessary clarifications requested by one of us.

KOLBA taps her fingers on the chair arm and scowls.

MARRIAGE BROKER
Ser Gembridge, I must ask you to maintain your civility.

ARIC
(Nodding reluctantly.)
Very well. But surely we can agree the girl is frail?

KOLBA
I most certainly--

MARRIAGE BROKER
(Warning tone.)
Serra.

KOLBA subsides, frustrated.

MARRIAGE BROKER
As I began, our physician and that of House Lembarros agree as to the bride's health and physical suitability with regard to this contract item.

ARIC
Healthy, then, but so tiny! Did your medicos account for the size of--

MARRIAGE BROKER
I assure you, ser, they had all the necessary information at their disposal.

KOLBA
Had they? Do you mean to suggest that your Pengdan staff knew they were matching me with a monster?

MARRIAGE BROKER
Of course, Bride Kolba. And I must ask you again--

KOLBA
(Standing.)
Ask the air, ser. This farce has gone on long enough.

She pulls the door open and exits.

MARRIAGE BROKER
Oh, dear. I knew this would be one of the tough ones.