A/N: I've always been fascinated with the Lady Pig scene in Chalion, so I wanted to explore a possible backstory. A few lines of dialogue are taken directly from page 159 in my edition. This one-shot is definitely PG-13.

As I walked toward my bedchamber, I felt someone behind me. I turned and was face to face with Lord Dondo. He had the sleek and satisfied look of a well-fed palace cat. He had also obviously had more than a few glasses of wine.

"Good evening, Lady Betriz."

I was determined not to show my agitation. This was not the first time he had accosted me in a dark corridor. "Lord Dondo." I commended myself on my curtsy and the seeming politeness of my tone.

"You look particularly fetching tonight. But, of course, you are one of the loveliest ladies at court." I gave another slight curtsy because I didn't trust my voice. I knew from stories around the Zangre that he said the same thing to every woman that he wanted in his bed.

I barely suppressed a shudder. That certainly did not bear thinking about.

He continued, "I was most gratified that we were able to dance together tonight."

I took a few small steps away from him. "It was my pleasure, Lord Dondo."

I immediately rued my choice of words. His smirk widened and he was positively leering at me.

"I could show you pleasure you've never experienced before."

It took me a few moments before I could choke out any words. "I'm flattered, but I am a true maiden of the Daughter." The words tasted like bile in my mouth, but Caz had impressed on us that we were not to provoke either of the dy Jironals if we could possibly help it. I had only begun to see for myself that Dondo was not to be trifled with. I wished I could tell him what I really thought of his words, but I knew it would only create more difficulties than the fleeting satisfaction would be worth.

He looked most displeased; few people denied him anything. He ran his eyes over me appraisingly several times before snapping, "Fine. Another night." He bowed and I returned a curtsey before walking away as quickly as I could without revealing how eager I was to flee from him.

I decided not to tell Iselle about this little incident. Nothing had come of it, after all.

***

Days passed. Dondo grew bolder. His pursuits gradually intensified. He flirted with me openly, if his insinuations could even be called that, not only in odd hallways at night. He took every opportunity to touch my shoulder or kiss my hand in a mockery of gallantry.

One night there was another formal ball. I tried to maintain my distance from him. I made sure I was never without a partner for the next piece by the end of the previous dance. However, Dondo eventually found me alone just as a song was beginning. I couldn't very well refuse to dance with him, so I braced myself for his stench and his increasingly vile innuendo.

He wasn't terribly drunk yet, but the clarity of his expression made him seem more menacing. He held me closer than the dance required and leaned in to whisper, "I grow tired of our game."

"There is no game, Lord Dondo."

"I beg to differ. You've been denying me at every turn. But you still smile prettily at me…" That was a generous description if ever I heard one. It was more like my refraining from glaring at him in public.

"I'm sorry to annoy you, but I do have my modesty." I wished for the thousandth time that he was only a horse groom who had made some impertinent remark.

The set of his mouth suddenly turned particularly nasty. "You grew up in the country. I imagine you let the stable boys put their hands all over you." As we neared the more crowded part of the dance floor, he adopted a mask of courtly politeness and lowered his voice even further. "But that's all right. I'll have you one way or another."

It was all I could do to stop myself from slapping him. He dug his fingers that rested on my waist into my side.

When the song ended, I escaped him. An hour later I left with Iselle. She had just turned into her chambers, and I continued walking to mine. Suddenly, a figure moved out of the shadows, gripped my arm, and clasped his other hand roughly over my mouth. Two of his bravos were stationed several feet away.

He had me pressed against a wall, his hot, reeking breath in my face, and I was beginning to panic. Only the laughter of a group of revelers coming down the hall saved me from having to take last-resort evasive measures.

After that incident I went to Iselle's chambers. I had told her about some of Dondo's unwanted attention. She was in full accord with my plan to humiliate him. The only question was how to do it.

Eventually, we settled on a scheme that would make him regret his advances and reduce Teidez's fawning admiration a bit. We just had to wait for the perfect night.

***

Iselle told dy Sanda that he might want to bring Teidez outside my chamber at the date and time that we had chosen. We pointedly opted not to include Cazaril. I could just see his frown and eyebrows drawn together as he enumerated the valid reasons against the plan. Fortunately, we ran into Lord dy Rinal, one of his friends, and his lady companion when the plot was about to be executed; we needed a few more witnesses.

We hid around the corner as we watched Dondo lumber toward his destination. We crept nearer when he entered the room. There was a breathless moment before a squeal came from the room and a lower-pitched shout joined it.

Cazaril soon came running, and the look on his face almost made me regret this. But then I remembered Dondo's body trapping mine. I was sorry no longer.

He came out and everyone was laughing merrily. I joined in, but mirth was not my chief emotion. Although the pig running between his legs was one of the most amusing sights I had ever experienced. Dy Rinal was laughing the most uproariously of all, and I knew Dondo's failed tryst would be the talk of the Zangre by morning. He and his lady left, still chuckling and congratulating us.

Cazaril looked at the two of us seriously. "Royesse, that was not wise."

Iselle jutted out her chin and answered him steadily. She finished, "At least this may teach him the unwisdom of attempting to steal from my household."

I dropped my eyes from his searching gaze. "Very well. Just remember that Dondo is a powerful enemy." We spoke for a few more minutes before we all returned to our chambers.

When I entered mine, I surveyed the damage. My bed was horribly rumpled, and Dondo's scent lingered in the sheets. The thought of sleeping there turned my stomach. Instead, I went to Iselle's rooms and we gossiped into the early morning as we used to do before we came to the capital and the world became so complicated.

Cazaril's fear of Dondo's retribution was contagious. In the subsequent days I found myself constantly looking over my shoulder. But jokes at his expense soon receded, and my worry lessened with them.

It shouldn't have.