A/N:Yeah, my first actual fic on here. OK, before you yell, Thor is not my fave character, Loki is, so Thor is portrayed as the bad guy (it has nothing to do with me wanting to write Loki as a hero, I - why is Fenrir growling at me?)

This isn't my first written piece, it is, however, my first fanfic, so characters may seem not-Marvel-y. I have also included Sigyn.

Disclaimer:If I owned Thor, Loki, Frigga, Odin, etc, Loki would be the hero and Thor would be the one to get his butt whipped.

1045

I thought it was just another day when I woke up, the Rainbow Bridge that transported us to other realms, also known as the Bifrost, was sparkling under the Asgardian sun, and my room was bright in the early morning.

However, it seemed that it wasn't to be the case.

Someone, who had little to no patience, was banging on my solid oak door like his (or her) life depended on it. And they would break the door if they continued the way they were going.

I had just enough time to pull a robe on and yank the door open before Thor burst in, demanding punishment.

"Whatever is the matter, Thor?" I asked when Thor paused his rant to catch his breath.

"As if you didn't know," Thor snarled, punching me in my jaw and continuing his rant while I nursed my jaw and used my magic to take the pain away.

"Actually," I said, once my jaw was working again, "I don't know, would you be so kind as to divulge the information for why you are breaking my door down first thing in the morning."

I found myself in a Loki-shaped hole in the wall outside my bedroom, with my robe only partially covering what shouldn't be seen, with Thor's arm against my throat.

"Thor … please …" I gagged, struggling against Thor's super strong grip.

"Not until you fix what you caused!" Thor roared, causing many heads to poke outside, with a few even glaring at me.

It was then that my foster father, Odin All-Father, came strolling up the hall, dressed even at this hour.

"Thor, keep the noise down." Odin spoke softly, but his voice carried, he was that kind of person. "We will call a council; hear Loki's side of the story."

"What story?" Thor sneered, crossing his arms over his massive chest, "we all know he did it, so let's get to the part where he's on the business end of Mjollnir and have done with it."

"Thor," Odin seemed to have infinite patience with my foster brother, "I said a council will decide what happens, if you can't control yourself then you will have no seat on this council, now get dressed, we gather in half an hour."

Thor muttered a "yes father" as he slunk away, I was left standing arranging my robe with one hand and rubbing my neck with the other.

"Loki, answer me now, did you, or did you not shear Sif's hair off last night?"

Oh, so that was what all the fuss was about. Wait, Sif's hair, Sif's precious hair. I was in deep shit if Sif had her hair cut off. Both Thor and Sif, the toughest warriors, would want my head if what Odin was saying was true.

You see, Sif loved her hair, and if some stupid insert-rude-word-here had cut it all off, the people were going to blame me.

But don't worry; I was used to being blamed for everything.

"Loki Laufeyson, you answer me right now," Odin kept his voice low; he knew what the court was like with gossip. And if they found out that I was the runt son of the giant Jotun king, it would not end prettily for me.

"I did no such thing, sir." I replied, honestly, I had no idea Sif lost her golden locks until Odin told me.

Speaking of Odin, he was looking at me as if he was trying to tell whether or not I was lying.

"Get dressed," Odin turned and left, leaving me staring after him in disbelief.

The council was basically when the court gathered together to give verdict on someone. I was no stranger to the council; my harmless pranks had landed me here several times.

Asgardians had no sense of humour.

The council hall was a long room in the palace with large windows running down the walls; it had room for a few hundred people to stand comfortably either side of the chamber with plenty of space in the middle. At the end of the hall were two thrones, one for Odin, the All-Father, and the other for his wife, Frigga, the All-Mother.

As soon as I stepped into the hall, the whispers that had been going on ceased, I strolled down to the steps before the thrones and knelt. Always wise to kneel before the king who could have your head if you fail him, even if you are his adopted son.

"Stand, Loki the Trickster," Odin told me, I did as he asked and moved to the side.

Frigga put a dainty hand on her husband's muscled arm, effectively restraining him from anything that may cause him to lash out.

The doors flew open, and Sif charged through, a scarf around her head, with Thor on her heels.

"I want his head!" she yelled as Thor wrapped an arm around her waist, "I want to pulverize him, to wrap him in his own entrails, to … to …" she struggled with something gruesome to say.

"Calm down, Sif," Frigga stepped forwards and took Sif off to the adjacent room, presumably to talk some sense to her.

"I have thought long and hard," Odin declared, though he'd only been thinking since Sif walked in, still, impressive. "Loki shall make amends with Sif, and get her a wig of golden hair."

Many of the Asgardians screamed this wasn't fair, I disagreed. Where in the name of Valhalla was I going to get Sif a wig of golden hair?

Sif scuttled out of the room she had been in with Frigga, malevolent grin plastered on her face. "I want a wig of pure gold, down to my hips."

Let me rephrase my previous statement, where in the name of Valhalla was I going to get Sif a wig of pure gold hair?

I left when everyone else did, a few seconds later, my mind in a daze.

It took me a while to get my head round the fact that I had to find Sif a wig with gold hair, I wasn't sure if I could get Sif a wig, was this my punishment?

An auburn haired curvy young woman came bouncing towards me, almost knocking me over in a tight hug.

"Hey, Sigyn," I grinned, "Would you know where –"

"Loki," she scolded, "what the Hel did you think you were doing?"

"Nothing!" I screamed, "I did nothing! Why does everyone think I did it? I know better than to antagonize Sif."

"The dwarfs," Sigyn said as she sat down by the fountain next to me, "they could help you."

"Thanks, Sigyn," I murmured, "I'm sorry I shouted at you."

"It's alright," Sigyn wrapped an arm around my shoulders, "they were all getting on your nerves, you needed an outlet."

"Knew you would understand."

Sigyn smiled before she caught sight of her latest stalker. She bid me farewell before she disappeared.

Deciding that it wouldn't hurt me, I went to Heimdall, who manned the Bifrost.

"Ah, young Prince Loki," Heimdall greeted me, "I suppose you want to take a visit to the land of the dwarfs."

"You suppose correctly," Heimdall knew everything, if something was going on, chances were that Heimdall knew of it, no matter how small. It was no surprise to me that Heimdall knew of my quest, he probably knew where the forge was where I needed to go. I vaguely wondered if he knew I was innocent.

Heimdall gestured me into position and the Bifrost lit up, I found myself transported to the land of the dwarfs.

It was a dreary sort of place, most of the planet's inhabitants were working, and I found the forge that was most familiar to the Asgardians, the one belonging to Brok, with ease.

"Loki, the Trickster," Brok exclaimed with malice, "Loki the Lie-smith, Loki the Shape-changer, Loki the –"

"I get it, Brok," I sighed, did no-one know me in all of the nine realms?

"Does Loki need something only us humble dwarfs can make?" Brok asked as innocently as the dwarf could manage. Which wasn't a lot.

Sindri, another dwarf, came out a back room wiping his oily hands on a greasy cloth.

"Demand payment, Brok, you know those Aesir types, always demanding and yet they never pay. What was the payment for us making Mjollnir? Nothing!" He spat on the ground, which, with dwarfs being only four feet tall, wasn't that far away from his head.

"What would you like as payment?" I asked, feeling that it would be wise to inquire.

"Your head!" Brok cackled, cruelty lighting his black eyes.

Panic flared in my throat, it took a few seconds for me to regain my ability to speak. "To get my head," I spoke slowly, thinking this through, "you don't need my neck. And you specified my head, not my neck as well. Try to get my head without the neck attached to it. I challenge you that, my head without the neck." I added as an afterthought, "It was what you wanted as payment."

Brok and Sindri glared, they were obviously hoping that I wouldn't weasel out of punishment.

"Fine," Sindri said after a pause, "you get away with it, Lie-smith, but just note, we are not happy with this. We will find a way to get our payment."

I sincerely hoped they didn't.

I asked them if they would make the reason for this quest, as politely as I could, I used a little magic for influence, even if it didn't work as well on dwarfs.

But they did make the wig, as promised. It was a good wig, it was made so it wasn't noticed as a wig, but looked and acted like real hair. It was magically enchanted to attach to her head, so when Sif was in battle, it wouldn't fall off.

I don't know why, but Sindri and Brok insisted on coming to Asgard with me. I didn't protest, they often included me in their conversations.

When we arrived, Heimdall didn't do a double take at the dwarfs, I suppressed a shudder at the thought of what the man knew. Something told me he knew what the dwarfs were planning for their 'payment'.

A full court was gathered as I entered the hall, all looking curiously as I strolled down the length to kneel at my foster father's feet.

Sif barged forwards, demanding her hair. She still wore the scarf around her hair.

Sindri stepped forwards, the bundle in his arms, and Sif took a step backwards slightly.

"Charming Lady Sif," Sindri started, "may I present the finest of all the things we dwarfs have made." He gave Sif the hair. "Just place this on your head, and it should be just like normal hair."

Sif did as she was told, still skeptical.

It was then that I found out what the dwarfs had been planning.

"Lord Odin," Sidri was starting to get on my nerves, "your son here has skipped merrily out of payment."

Brok giggled like a small child. Odin raised an eye brow.

"We wanted his head as payment," Sindri continued, an evil grin appearing on his lips. "He was pedantic, saying that we couldn't get the neck as well, just the head."

"And you have another idea for payment?" Odin inquired.

"Yes," Brok snickered, clapping his hands and jumping up and down with glee.

"Loki is known lie-smith," Sidri explained, "therefore, we feel it would be most beneficial for everyone if he were not able to lie."

Yeah, that explained a lot.

"Go on." Odin leaned forwards in his throne, resting his head on his chin.

Sidri pulled a needle and thread out of his pocket. "We would be happy to rid him of his nasty habit of lying."

Thor, not to anyone's surprise, agreed whole-heartedly, as did Sif. Odin was debating, Frigga downright refused.

I risked a glance at the gathered court. I saw Sigyn, her eyes wide with concern, hand on mouth. The others were all for me being 'rid of my habit'.

I was about to say that I rarely lied, when Thor stepped forwards.

"If I may," Thor stated, continuing anyway, "I think it would be a good idea. He tells too many lies."

"Thor." Odin warned him, Thor ignored the advice.

"Excellent, would you care help us?" Sidri waved the needle around.

"Indeed."

Thor took the needle and threaded it, handing it back to Sidri, he started to advance towards me.

I backed away, hands held in a surrender position. "Thor, we can talk this through, I-I will never lie again. I-I-I…"

"Save it brother," Thor snarled, "You have caused us enough problems throughout the years."

"A-a-and I've righted them," I protested, dimly aware Thor was taking the needle from Sidri's offered hand. "I-I plead innocent for this latest crime you commit me."

Thor scoffed at that.

"It's true! I can prove it, I –"

My sentence was cut off as the needle was pushed through my lips. Thor pinned me to the wall by my neck with one arm, the other was attached to the hand wielding the offending instrument.

The court was jeering, enjoying my pain. For it did hurt, that thread had been dipped in salt water, I was sure.

"No more lies!" Thor shouted as he sewed my lips together. "No more truth-bending! No more of Loki's demented tales!"

I wondered how I was meant to eat. It was clear that this plan hadn't been thought through. Was I to starve?

I realized I was distracting myself from the horror that was right in front of me. I squeezed my eyes shut as Thor reached the centre of lips, trying to think of anything to occupy my thoughts.

I thought of my heritage, that I wasn't Odin's son, I was Laufey's son. Not an Odinson, a Laufeyson.

I remembered playing with Thor when I was younger, well, Thor trying to pry me from my studies in magic to practice swordplay.

I remembered the day before I was accused, Sif insulted my magic, saying only women were expected to excel at it, while men were warriors.

I retorted by stating that she, herself, must have just said that she was a man, as men were to excel in fighting, and she was the only woman to practice whatever it was that warriors practiced.

I only participated in hand-to-hand combat. I particularly liked fighting with a staff. There were so many combinations you could use.

I was brought back to the present by the court giggling at something. And I had the feeling I didn't want to know what it was.

Raising a hand, I placed a finger on my throbbing lips. There was definitely something there.

My expression must have looked upset, because Thor threw an arm over my shoulders (my knees nearly buckled at the force of his arm on me) and grinned. "Don't worry, brother," he didn't sound concerned, let me tell you, "You can't tell any more lies."

The court, minus Sigyn, tittered at that, and Frigga threw a scathing look at Thor.

I bolted for the door.

What else could I have done? Thor would make his reasons known to Odin, Odin would agree with him on some level. Frigga might not like the punishment; neither did Sigyn, the only two people in Asgard to like me.

I tried to get my head around what had just happened while I ran.

I was accused for shearing off Lady Sif's hair, and as punishment I was sent to get a wig of golden hair for her. I got out of paying for the wig by saying that they didn't ask for my neck, just my head. The dwarfs weren't happy about not getting payment, so they sewed my lips shut, not only because it was payment, but also because it would 'stop my lies'.

My life sucked.

I rounded a corner and ducked under a tapestry when I heard footsteps and voices emerging from the hall.

Sif and Thor, as well as lots of their friends, were discussing some not nice things.

"So," Thor sounded like he was grinning, "Loki will most likely die from not being able to eat, and I get to be king of Asgard."

"You get to be king of Asgard anyway," Sif pointed out, "you're first born."

Thor hit someone lightly. "I get to be king because I heard Loki confronting Father about why his skin turns blue occasionally."

Gasp, shock horror. Oh my worst nightmare, Thor knows!

"So," Sif asked, "he's what, Frost Giant Junior?"

"Yes," Thor jumped up and down, evident because his heaviness was taking its toll on the poor concrete floor. "And no-one wants a Jotun on the throne." He laughed at the thought.

They passed by my hiding place, and I tried to sigh, but it failed. Just like my life did.

Sigyn came by next, talking to Frigga. I was very much unprepared when the tapestry I was (not) hiding behind was lifted.

I made a break for it, but Sigyn pulled me back with a bolt of magic, lifting me clearly off the ground. I used my own power to reflect the bolt, throwing her back and me landing on the floor.

"Loki," Frigga grabbed my arm in a vice grip, "we don't want to hurt you."

I twisted, ignoring the pain I felt in my arm. I needed to get away, I couldn't breathe, surrounded.

I was shaken harshly.

My head felt light, and a black cloud came over my vision. Maybe a sleep wasn't a bad idea.

7