Chapter 1
The golden walls of the throne room shined from the shimmering flames of the many torches. Within the throne room, the Allfather stood before his throne, gripping his spear. Standing by the throne was the queen, Frigga. Four guards stood in the distance, waiting on any order Odin may give.
The Allfathers' eye locked upon the God whom was on trail this day, still bound in chains, knelt before the throne. The one who must face the justice he deserves.
"Loki Laufeyson. You have endangered the lives of your people, the Jotuns, and the humans. You have taken to life of a Jotun, and may lives of the humans. You endangered your loved ones, betrayed them…" Odin's voice boomed, speaking of the God of Mischief's crimes. His eye was accusing and showing hurt as he asked, "…and for what…?"
The dark-haired God looked away, glaring at the ground. He was still muzzled but even if he was not, he would have avoided explaining himself to Odin.
Odin gave a wave of his hand to a guard and then to Loki. He guard walked to Loki, who looked to him with a death glaring, daring him to do anything. And he did, reaching forward to unlatch the muzzle from behind. Loki allowed him to do so, sighing as it was removed.
"Explain yourself." Odin demanded.
Loki simply laughed, a dark smirk on his lips as he watched the Allfather. He noticed Frigga standing in the corner. She seemed saddened, unhappy…and disappointed. He just rolled his eyes and looked away from the both of them.
"You would stand here and receive your punishment like the stubborn fool you are, rather than giving a plea?" Odin questioned.
"Why give a plea if you would simply chuck it aside for my actions?" Loki countered, still smirking but his eyes showed a mixture of amusement and anger. "All that needs to be said is the truth that has become the son you claimed to love; I am the monster you raised me to become."
"Loki-" Frigga began in a voice slightly shaking with anger and sadness, but Odin shushed her before she could say anymore.
"For your actions against the innocent, you are to be punished. At dusk each day, you shall receive such punishment before the Aesir. One punishment each day at dusk for every life you took. You are to be confined to your cell after the wounds are well enough cleaned and partly healed, ready for the next punishment. You shall be brought two meals a day. One in the morning and one after your return from your punishment. If you fight against such, the punishment shall be doubled." The words of the Allfather were booming and unquestionable. Frigga looked to him in anger, before turning to leave the throne room, knowing she could not question his command. She remembered how she had failed to do so with Thor's past punishment. She simply could not take it.
Loki shook his head, smirking. "She never could handle the discipline when one of us did wrong."
"Her disappointment is too much to handle." Odin spoke.
Loki glared. Disappointment…he despised the word. "But who was the disappointment? The sons who did wrong, or the failure of a father who made all the wrong choices with his sons?"
"Silence." Odin said to shut him up.
"You know, with my freedom of speech with the muzzle gone, I don't believe I shall be silent. Come, Odin, do you truly think you are a wise father? Look at the family you raised!" Loki said, laughing. "You have failed, you have created failures! You simply decided, in the end, whom to give your last bit of faith to and whom to let to fall into an abyss of darkness!"
"I said SILENCE!" the Allfathers' spear slammed against the ground, the sound bouncing off the walls and back. Such an act made Loki flinch and silence himself out of habit, before he just smirked and laughed once without humor.
Another wave of Odin's hand, and the guard returned with the muzzle. Loki tried to stand and move away, only to stumble to the ground and begin crawling away. Another guard came forth to hold him in place as the other guard tried to place the muzzle back upon his mouth.
In that process, Odin had summoned another into the throne room. And when that God saw the sight of Loki's stubborn struggle that was, in turn, causing him pain, he spoke.
"Brother, please…do not fight it." came Thor's voice as he stepped down the stairs, before Odin stopped him with a slam of his spear on the ground. Thor lowered his head, stopping, but looking back to Loki with a slightly sad but determined look.
Loki glared at the sight of the fair-haired God. He still struggled against the guards actions, though. "Keep that damned thing away from me!"
"Thor Odinson. You are to escort to prisoner to his cell. His muzzle and chains are to stay unless I say otherwise. Understood?" Odin looked to Thor, his good eye narrowing.
Thor nodded, bowing his head. "Yes, father." with that, he walked forward and motioned for the other guard to assist holding Loki still as he took the muzzle from him. One guard placed a hand on Loki's forehead, holding his head against his chest, making it hard for him to struggle and the other held his arms still. Thor hated to sight, but even more, he hated the seething and pure hate that flooded Loki's eyes as they watched each other.
"…Imagined slights, hmm?" Loki spoke with a laugh, accusing him.
Thor's brows furrowed, but he said nothing and raised the muzzle back to Loki's mouth. The raven-haired God still struggled, but in the end, knew he had to allow it. Thor soon had it back upon Loki's mouth, latching it in the back. He removed his hands carefully, the two guards letting Loki go and he dropped back to his knees, glaring to the ground.
"…Come, brother." Thor said in a weak voice.
Loki glared up at him, strands of hair falling into his vision but still, the glare was just as strong and just as full of hate.
Thor sighed and brought his brother up to stand. Loki yanked free of his grip and walked on, Thor soon walking by his side. He led him on, gripping his elbow despite Loki's struggling against it, heading for the dungeons.
They found the dungeons empty, except for the few servants cleaning it. None in Asgard were ever foolish enough to commit punishable crimes and if they did, they were smart enough to hide it well. Loki? He did not care who knew of his actions, he just acted upon them. And this is where he found himself for those actions.
Thor brought him into his designated cell, making sure he was within it. He came in as well, not shutting the door and leaving just yet.
Loki just glared at him, wondering why he was even still here.
"…Loki…" Thor began in a weak voice, which reminded Loki of when he visited the Thunder-God upon Midgard to sway him not to return. He looked away as Thor continued. "Brother, I am sorry…for how I have failed you. I do not approve of your actions…but I do understand some were provoked by the wrongs of our past."
Loki's body shook as he made a sound like a cough, which was him chuckling shortly.
"…Please…just cooperate. The more you cooperate, the sooner your punishments shall be done and over with. I cannot stop what has to be done…" he said that unwillingly. He wished that it did not have to be done. Yes, Loki had done such wrong…taken so many lives and threatened more. But Thor just could not bring himself to hate and condemn his brother completely. It was impossible. "But brother, I will be waiting at your side when you are in need of me. Just as long as you cooperate. As long as you make this easier."
Loki laughed again and turned his eyes upon Thor. With magic which he seldom used, simply to keep it secret (and one of his weaker forms of magic that he could use, since Odin's spell upon his magic prevented it's more powerful use), he spoke to Thor's mind then. **When have you ever known me to make things easy, Odinson?**
Thor sighed. "Please, brother. You have done wrong, but I cannot blame you and I will not fully do so! I will do my best to stand by your side and aid you when needed, but I cannot if you are not willing to allow such."
**And why would you help me? You're more a fool than the damned Allfather…**
"Brother, I do not condemn you, I forgive you!"
Loki's eyes went wide at that. **…You lie…**
"That is your skill, brother, and you wield it better than I." was Thor's simple response to such an accusation. "…I wish to help you in your trail, brother…please allow me. I will not fail you again."
**Don't even try to say you don't see the failure I am…don't try and tell me you don't think I'm a failure.**
"…Because I know you won't believe it, I will not say it. And if you believe such of yourself, brother, I will just say this; you simply have yet to achieve and gain what you must and need. And I will do my best to help you do such. If you would only promise to cooperate."
Loki glared, unwilling. He turned away.
Thor knelt in front of him, offering his hand. "…Promise me, and I shall promise you."
Loki stared at Thor's hand. Why should he even agree…? What good would it do him?
"Brother…I promise, when this is over…I will show all of Asgard the true you…that you are my equal. That you are a prince and my brother. Brother, I will insure you know peace again."
Loki continued to stare, but there was just a small spark in his eyes as his brows furrowed.
Thor gave him a warm, encouraging smile. "I promise you, brother. Now, shall you promise me?" he moved his hand closer to Loki, inviting his hand in return and for him to make him the promise.
Loki looked away, little faith in his mind. But though that faith was little, it was not lost. And despite himself, despite every part of his being that vowed revenge…he let that faith take him in that moment and he moved his chained hand to take Thor's.
Thor smiled, gripping his brothers' hand.
"Do not worry, brother. You are strong, you will make it out of this. And I promise, I shall be at your side, if you would be at mine in the end."
Loki considered how he could take advantage in the future. Go along with this, and he'd gain Thor's trust. But still, the faith was in him.
**…I will hold you to that.**
