A/N- Here is Part 2 of "A Thief". Let me know what you think of it. I know it is a little shorter than the last chapter, but I think it still works.

((DISCLIMER: I do not own Graceling Realm Trilogy: Bitterblue)

I look around at the sitting room which I have been instructed to stay in. Everything in the room is expensive, but the thing that catches my eye is the crown. I try to picture Sparks in it, not Bitterblue, but Sparks.

The thought is impossible, angering, and makes me want to set the entire damn room on fire. Then an odd thought occurs to me. What if I wore it? I picture myself, trying to imagine myself in a kingly fashion, but it feels so wrong that when her highness walks into the room I drop to my knees looking up at her pathetically.

This upsets her and she yells at me to stand up. I grin angrily as I get back on my feet, *"Whatever you wish, Lady Queen."

*"Please don't do this, Saf. You know it's just me." You deserve this, because there was no 'only you' there was only a lie that you made up. I scoff under my breath.

*"What? What is it?"

*"Nothing at all, Lady Queen." I emphasize her title.

*"Oh, just tell me, Saf." Playing dumb with me, huh?

*"I wouldn't dream of contradicting the queen, Lady Queen." I all but spell out the problem; hoping to upset her.

*"Saf. Until now, we've been friends and equals." How can she even think that? Is she that stupid, that unaware of how different we are and how wrong she is? *"What? Tell me. Please talk to me."

Hmm, I step towards the crown. She doesn't say anything. I close the distance and start examining it. I could get so much money for this. We could rebuild most of the East City and still have enough left over to buy Teddy another printing press. I take in a ragged breath, remembering she played him as well. I pick up the crown and slowly lift it up to my head. It feels so wrong, but I put it on anyway just to spite her.

*"Put that down!" So I'm not good enough to be seen with the crown!

I set it down roughly I've made my point about that. For now. *"We're not equals after all, then, are we?"

*"I don't care about the stupid crown. I only care that my father was the last man I ever saw wear it, and when you put it on, I remember him." Liar! Then a thought crosses my mind, it's a horrible thought and I can hardly keep myself from smirking as I announce it.

*"Ironic, for I've been thinking of how much you make me think of him."

I can almost hear her heart break from the impact of my words. *"You have lied just as much as I."

Are you kidding me? She has no right to turn this around on me. I consider going back on my promise to Po.*"I have never once lied! I've kept things from you when I needed to. But I've never lied!" I stop there. Not mentioning how she played me, messed with my heart; then broke it beyond repair, more than I ever thought possible, because unlike her, I wasn't pretending.

*"You knew I wasn't who I said! That was no secret!"

*"You're the queen!" I shout, slowly closing the gap between us, my hands curling into fists. *"The rutting queen! You manipulated me! And not just for information!"

I'm caught off guard by Po appearing in the doorway. I knew he could hear us, but seeing him studying us the way he is makes me stop and shrink back in his presence. *"Forgive me, Lord Prince." I say this in my most honestly humble and apologetic tone.

*"The queen is my cousin."

*"I understand, Lord Prince." He exchanges a look with the cousin he believes to be innocent and goes back to the other room. How can she play him like that? Does she have no heart at all? *"He has no idea does he. He has no idea what a snake you are." I phrase it as a statement rather than a question.

*"I didn't manipulate you." She won't give it up, but I could do this all day.

I let my anger loose again. *"Horseshit. You told Prince Po every last detail about me, every minute of everything we've ever done, yet I'm to believe you never told your little people. You think I'm so naïve that I haven't figured out how I got pulled for a murder I didn't commit, or who's paying that witness to lie? Or who's responsible for the attacks on Teddy and me?" Even as I say this though, I know I'm wrong, at least about her being behind my accusation. Otherwise there would be no point in having Po save me.

*"What? Saf! No! How can you think I'm behind all those things when Po and I just saved you? You're not thinking!"

*"And that last little bit of fun—did you enjoy that? Do you get a kick out of debasing yourself with commoners and then telling others?" With each sentence a take a step forward, "I cannot believe how much feeling I wasted in worry. Fearing I would injure you somehow. Thinking you were innocent!

I'm close enough to touch her now. And she takes advantage of it, grabbing my forearm and holding it as tightly as she can. Her hand is in the exact place that one of her guard's was when he helped drag me through the streets of her city. I look at her hand instead of her face, because I know if I look in her eyes I might breakdown right here.

*"Saf, I swear to you, I'm not your villain. I'm as baffled about that as you are. I'm on your side! I'm trying to find the truth!" I can hear the determination in her voice and I can feel her eyes locked on me, willing me to look back at her. "And I've never told anyone your every last detail—anyone but Po, and even he doesn't know the private things. Hardly anyone else even knows I go out at night!"

*"You're lying again. Let go!" I bring my free arm up to shove her away from me, but catch myself before I do. Remembering my promise to Po, I settle for pushing on her forearm, hoping she'll just give up and release me.

She grabs above my elbow on the arm I pushed her with, and forces me to look at her. *"No. Please."

*"Let go or I'll punch you in the face and shame myself before my prince." I growl the words more than I actually say them. But when she just keeps looking at me, I see flashes of Sparks in her and I can't even consider going through with my threat.

*"I want you to punch me in the face." She tilts her head up and to the left, like she actually expects me to hit her. This gesture proves without a doubt that she does not know me at all.

*"Of course, because then I'll land right back in prison." I smirk angrily and jerk my arm free while she gives me a disappointed look.

When she sighs and turns away from me, I feel her queenliness fill the room. How can she think that it's okay to turn her back on me, when she's the one who has done wrong? *"I have lied, Saf, but never with the intention of hurting you or your friends, or any truthseekers, or anyone, I swear it. I only ever went out to see what my city was like at night, because my advisers keep me blind in my tower and I wanted to know." Her voice changes tone and gets a bit more melancholy, "I never meant to meet you. I never meant to like you and I never meant to become your friend. Once I did, how was I to tell you the truth?"

I glare at the back of her head taking in her words and then all at once, I can't take it anymore. I let out a sarcastic laugh, I'm so mad that I can't suppress it. *"You're unbelievable."

*"Why? What is it? Explain what you mean!" She's still not facing me.

*"You seem to have this daydream," I say my hands near my face, grasping at the air in front of me, *"that when we were spending time together and I didn't know you were the queen, we were friends. Equals. But knowledge is power. You knew you were the queen and I didn't. We have never once been equal, and as far as friendship goes..." I stop there, saying nothing will hurt her more than explaining it. But I still haven't made point, "Your mother is dead." I pause, the complete depth of her deceit overwhelming me for a moment. "You've lied to me about everything."

She turns back to me, holding her arms close to body, like a shield. *"I told you things that were more precious to me than the truth." Something about the way she says this makes me want to believe her. But I'm not sure how to, because I've fallen for her lies before.

I don't want her to know that I think she might be telling the truth and I don't want her to think I've forgiven her, because I haven't, so I just stand silently for a long time glaring past her. *"Let's suppose for a minute that you're telling the truth," I say distantly, "about not being the person behind the attacks."

*"I am telling the truth. Saf, I swear it." She's determined for me to believe her and doesn't let me change the subject, "The only thing I lied about is who I am."

She really doesn't get it. So I spell it out for her, all my fight leaving my words. *"But I don't think you understand who you are. I don't think you realize how big it is, or how it maroons me. You're so high in the world that you can't see down as far as me. You don't see what you've done." But you will, I think carefully reaching behind me, removing the crown from its pedestal, and shoving it under my jacket.

I spin around her so that she doesn't see my adjusting the crown to my front side. I fight tears back, ordering them not to fall, as I crack the door open and slip through it. I manage to keep my composure as I wind my way through the halls. But the moment I step out of the castle walls and realize it's raining I can't hold back anymore.

I tear down the streets, tears flowing freely down my face. I hate her! I hate her! Honestly, I know I really don't. But it seems nobody else is being honest, so why should I be any different? I hope she falls from one of those stupid windows.

I stop a few blocks away from the shop and try to get ahold of myself. I rub at my eyes, slap my face a few times, and take in a few deep breaths. When I feel that I at least look like I have control of myself, I begin the remaining walk to the shop. I am in absolutely no hurry to face any of the people inside.

Before I enter I pull the stupid crown out of my coat, plop it back on my head, and conjure up my most arrogant smile. "Your king has arrived!" I announce bursting through the door. "Bow down to me, peasants!"

Teddy sits by the printing press not at all influenced by my charade. "So, it's true then?"

"You want to try it on?" I ignore his question and offer him the crown. "Come on, you know you want to. No? Suit yourself." I set it back on my head and drop down in the chair next to him.

"Saf," sighs Bren sadly. She tries to hug me, but I shrug her away.

"She warned you this would happen, Saf. What did you expect from that girl?" She says her last two words as if they were something that repulsed her.

"Tilda, you're not helping!" Bren glares at her.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it, Saf."

She may not have meant it, but she's right. "Can you both just shut up?" I want to scream, or maybe cry again, I'm so mad and confused and neither of them are helping right now. Both girls back up and sneak out the door leading to their apartment, leaving me alone with Teddy and my thoughts. I toss the crown on the table and glare at it as if it will help solve my problems.

"So, what was your plan? Why did you take it?"

"I don't know." He looks at me and raises his left eyebrow. "I'm a thief, I steal things. It's just what I do."

"That's not why you did it, Saf. We both know that."

"I don't know! Maybe I thought she was going to come after me, you know?" Finally admitting the real reason to myself. "But it was a stupid thought! It doesn't matter, I don't care if she does come or not!"

He shakes his head at me. "What are you going to do with it then? You're going to give it back to her, aren't you?"

"No, it's mine." I jump up, suddenly feeling that I have to move urgently, "I have to go. That bitch probably has her guards scouring the entire city for me."

"Where are you going? Saf!"

"I can't tell you!" I slam the door and tear down the streets with the crown tucked under my jacket. She's never getting this back. Not even if she begs me in front of all of Monsea and admits that she is a backstabbing, conniving liar; I still won't give it back.

~theeShadyLady~

A/N- * signifies a direct quote from Bitterblue written by Kristin Cashore. I only used it on dialogue because I didn't want to mess up the scene. 100% of the credit for any directly quoted phrases goes to Kristin Cashore.