Monster
Chapter One: Home
There was a crackle, before color splashed across his vision, the wind whipping against his raw skin, before they arrived. Loki Laufeyson, formerly Odinson, has been brought back into Asgard to serve his punishment for his crimes against Asgard and Midgard alike. Thor firmly led him from the landing, cerulean eyes watching him sadly as they moved through the streets, through the masses of gathering people, some who spat horrible things, some who cheered that the 'monster' had been caught. Loki kept his head up, like he was unaffected, and proud of what he'd done.
The reached the grand palace and Loki was lead to the throne. Thor stepped away from Loki, and guards moved to Loki's sides, forcing him to his knees, and to bow before Odin, the AllFather, while Thor stepped forward.
"Father-" Thor began.
"Silence." Odin ordered, his eye trained on Loki, his face hard and unreadable.
"Loki, you have betrayed Asgard, and committed a very severe crime on Midgard, which is punishable by death." Odin began.
Thor moved forward instantly in protest.
"Father! You cannot!" he called, his voice angry, "Loki is my brother!" Thor breathed, furious that his father would condemn Loki to such a thing as death.
"You will mind whom you are speaking to, Thor Odinson! Loki is not your brother, and is a beast who deserves punishment in the highest degree!" Odin shouted, his face growing red with anger as he stood from his seat at the throne.
It was at this moment that Frigga, wife of Odin AllFather, stood, placing a delicate hand on her husband's shoulder.
"Odin please, you cannot be so cruel. Even you have more heart than that. Can you not see how Thor has fought to bring Loki back to us? Please, you must deal a punishment less harsh, for my sake, and Thor's. He may not be your son, but he is MY son, and he is by far not a beast, nor a monster." She breathed, her eyes flicking over to the man she would always be proud to call her son.
Loki's eyes had been glued to the golden floor, until he heard Frigga speak up. Never would he think that she would speak against the AllFather, on behalf of him. Loki's green eyes, having gone bizarrely pale, flitted up to meet the eyes of his mother. Loki's eyes were guarded, and void of emotion as their eyes connected, before he dropped his gaze to the floor once more.
Odin sat back down, huffing a stressed sigh, rubbing his eyes and face wearily. "Then you leave me no choice. By order of Asgard and its king, Odin AllFather, Loki Laufeyson, you are to be imprisoned until death takes you." Odin commanded, tapping the base of his staff once against the gold floor, the sound resounding through the grand hall.
Thor merely growled to himself, and turned, storming from the room, before he resorted to doing something unwise, as Loki was yanked to his feet once more, shackles and barbaric muzzle still in place, and led to Asgard's prison.
Thor had stormed off to the royal gardens, the gardens his mother created. It was the one place he'd always been able to go, and think clearly. Thor settled himself into a bench and leaned back, looking up at the sky. How could it be so very bright, when on the inside he felt so dark? Thor was angry, not with Loki, nor Frigga, not even his father Odin. He was furious with himself, for not being able to change Loki, to bring back the smiling, foolish man his brother used to be. Perhaps it meant that Thor wasn't strong, or was Loki too weak? Thor sighed and tipped his face down, and closed his eyes, running his hand through his hair.
Loki was shoved towards the end of the longest hall in the prison, and pushed into a small cell. The room was dull grey, a small, hard bed in the corner with a thin blanket and no pillow. Loki turned as the cell was closed, heavy, magic bound bars blocking him from leaving or escaping with magic. After hearing the click of the tumblers in the lock, Loki slowly moved to sit himself in the corner on the bed, his shackled hands in his lap, and his feet on the floor, which were also shackled. Loki leaned against the wall, and closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring slightly as he breathed through his nose, as the muzzle pretend breathing through his mouth. Loki closed his eyes, but kept his ears on alert, not allowing anyone to sneak up on him. In his own mind, he had failed, and needed to find another plan, to prove himself. Prove him self what though? Loki's brows furrowed, prove himself worthy of the throne? No, no, that is not right. He craved to prove that he was equal to Thor, strong like him, to be accepted like Thor. That had only ever been his dream, yet he was born this- creature. This monster from the land of ice and snow, a Jotun.
Frigga left Odin's side, as he moved off to take care of other matters, to go find Thor, having noted how angry he appeared when he'd left. Frigga eventually found him in her garden, right in the middle, apparently lost in thought. Slowly, Frigga moved closer, gently slipping her hand onto Thor's shoulder when she was close enough.
"Thor? Are you well?" She asked, her voice tender, and concerned.
"I am well, mother. Though I worry. For I know this is not Loki. This is not the man I grew up with. Something else must be at play here, for even Loki is not this cruel, this heartless. I know he can change, mother." Thor said, lifting his head to meet his mother's caring eyes.
Frigga moved to sit beside him, smoothing her dress down, and folding her hands in her lap.
"I know, my son. I do not blame Loki, nor you, for anything that has happened. Your father is confused and irrational at this time. Please, do not be angry with him. Perhaps, with time, we can help Loki. I would suggest you visit Loki tomorrow. Try and speak with him. I know your father will not allow you to see him, so I got this." He murmured, slipping a key from her sleeve and smiling at Thor, "It's to the cell in which Loki is in. Loki is not the only one who has tricks up their sleeve." Frigga said, laughing lightly, trying to get Thor to smile.
Thor chuckled softly and took the key from her hands, his own hands closing around hers briefly, "Thank you mother. You truly are wonderful. I will visit him tomorrow. I only wish to have Loki back. To have the man I could laugh, and smile with, and not question the motivation that may lurk behind his smile." Thor admitted, dropping Frigga's hand, and getting up.
"I will be in the training barracks. It will help ease my mind, to train for a while." Thor said, smiling at his mother. "Thank you mother, I am eternally in your debt." He said, before turning and making his way to the barracks with the key safely tucked into his pocket.
It was several long hours later, when Loki's cell was opened again, and he opened his eyes and looked to the door, to find Odin watching him. Odin dismissed the guards and shut the cell door behind him as he entered, silently moving closer to Loki.
"Loki." He said simply, his tone not angry, nor happy.
Odin reached out and unlatched Loki's muzzle, roughly yanking it from his face and tossing it to the floor. Odin held his hands out, palms up, and murmured something in ancient Norse, and a silver thread, attached to a long golden needle materialized in his hand.
"You have committed at terrible crime, and your lies have caused nothing but pain. Your lies end today, you conniving, treacherous monster." Odin spat, moving closed, and yanking the shackles on Loki's wrists and forcing him to his knees on the stone floor.
Seizing Loki's pale, lithe face by the jaw, he leaned down, and forced the thick needle through Loki's bottom lip, pulling a blood curdling cry from Loki, his pale green eyes trained on Odin as they welled with tears. Odin's fist tightened its hold on Loki's face, forcing the needle in and out of Loki's lips, from one end to the other, ignoring Loki's harsh cries, the hands clawing at his own, and the tears streaming down the fallen prince's cheeks. Odin finished sewing his lips tightly shut, and secured it, before tossing Loki to the ground, his eyes cold.
"You will lie no more, Loki. Perhaps now you will do as you are told, and you will repent for becoming what you have." Odin spat once more, before turning and slamming the door shut behind him, locking it and returning the guards to their posts by the cell.
The moment Odin left, Loki shivered on the floor, heaving against the blood dripping steadily from his lips and down his face, the taste of iron filling his mouth until he was forced to swallow bitterly. Loki gagged at the vile taste, shuffling himself back into the opposite corner from his bed, stealing the blanket from it, and using it to try and stint the bleeding, dabbing it gently against his swollen, painful lips.
Later that evening, guards decided to take it upon themselves to punish Loki, pinning him to the wall, and taking turns to beat and abuse him to the extent of two fractured ribs, many bruises left along his pale skin, and a possible broken nose, all the while he was unable to properly cry out, or plead for them to stop, or say anything at all. After the guards returned to their posts, and Loki was left to himself, to sob silently in the corner, gagging on his own blood, and eventually falling asleep, curled in the corner, the blood stained blanket draped loosely over his shoulders as he leaned against the wall.
