Chapter One
The muzzle was removed as soon as they rematerialised by the Bifrost. Thor almost dropped the Tesseract in his hurry to take it off and embrace his brother, who was somewhat taken aback after Thor's more than frosty composure on Midgard.
"What are you doing to me, you foul oaf?" Loki demanded, shaking him off as best he could.
Thor loosed his grip, but kept a hold of his shoulders. "I am truly sorry, Loki."
Loki scowled, pulling himself out of Thor's grip. "For what, brother mine? What could you, O Mighty Thor, possibly have to apologise for?"
Thor, visibly upset, turned away. "For what is about to happen to you."
The words pulled Loki up short. He had expected Thor to prattle on about past misdeeds, not his impending punishment. Surely he knew no punishment could compare to what he had already suffered at his families hands. "Oh? And what would that be?" He asked, trying to exhume the same air of confidence and defiance that he had whilst fighting those pathetic humans.
He didn't answer for a long time. Eventually, he sent the guards who had been waiting for them away with a gesture. Loki eyed the Tesseract, forgotten on the floor, but he was bound by magic as much as metal, and there was nothing he could do. Thor turned back to face him, and Loki quickly raised his gaze to meet his eyes, but Thor didn't even notice his distraction. "Please, Loki, tell me now. Why did let yourself fall?" He gestures vaguely backwards to where the Rainbow Bridge was still shattered over the void.
"You surprise me, Thor. You don't ask where I went? Why I returned to that pile of rock you love so much?"
"That is not what I care about. When you released Gungnir you must have thought it meant your death."
Loki lowered his gaze, wondering. Why did his brother ask these questions now? Surely they were of lesser importance, surely they could wait. All Loki knew was that he was not in the mood to play games that he didn't know the rules of. He looked behind him to where the guards still waited and were murmuring to each other. "They're getting impatient, I'm sure Odin will not appreciate the delay."
It took a moment or two for Thor to nod, to realise he would not get any answers today. Slowly, he raised the muzzle that was still in his hand. "Father is expecting you to be wearing this."
Loki nodded, annoyed. He hated that cursed muzzle. So long as he had his words he had some measure of power. As Thor locked it about his jaw, Loki saw more sorrow in his brother than he had any reason to expect from this action.
Thor signalled the guards back over and picked up the Tesseract again. Two guards that Loki recognised but didn't know held his arms, and gently but firmly led him into the castle and towards Odin's throne room. The chains about his feet and the injuries obtained from his unfortunate meeting with that green beast made it hard for him to keep stride, but he kept his head high and hid it as much as he could. He would not walk in limping and defeated. He was born to be a king, and even in his current state he would remain proud.
As he walked down the long corridors he crossed fellow Asgardians, some he felt he knew from a long time ago. Many showed surprise, or anger. Once he thought he even saw pity. It was after that that he kept his gaze lowered to his own feet. The surprise and anger he could understand, most still thought him dead, and all still remembered what he had done, but he could not abide their pity.
It felt like a year before the golden doors opened before him, and the hands at his arms were replaced by Thor's strong grip on his shoulder. As they began the long walk up to where Odin sat on his great throne, Loki heard a faintly whispered "forgive me, brother." He ignored the words, but they echoed around his head. What did Odin have planned, and why was Thor so remorseful about it?
They both kneeled at the customary spot, Loki having some trouble with his chains. When Odin bid them rise he, to his embarrassment, had to be aided by his brother. He cast his gaze about the room, and saw Frigga standing of to the side. Her face was so conflicted it was unreadable.
"Loki, son of Odin," the man who had claimed to be his father began. Loki scowled behind his mask, he was no son of Asgard. "You have been returned here to pay for your crimes against Asgard, Jotunheim and Midgard. Your punishment will be carried out as I see fit, in accordance with agreements made between these three realms."
The muzzle was removed as Odin asked, "Is there anything you have to say in defence of your actions?"
He remained silent.
"Is there anything you have to say that could be of benefit in the defence against the forces you brought into play? Any aid you offer will encourage a more lenient punishment."
Again, he was silent. He would remain defiant to the last.
Odin sighed, a rare occurrence of emotion in his mighty hall. "I wished you would co-operate, my son."
"I am not your son," Loki replied without thought. Odin ignored the words.
"Loki, son of Odin. You leave me little choice. I will not kill or imprison you, it is not our way. I will not exile you, you are a force too powerful for that." He seemed to ponder for a minute. "I had thought to take your magic from you, however that is too valuable an asset for us to lose when we do not know what the future holds."
Loki struggled to contain a sigh of relief, that had been what he most feared. It was foolish, really, to allow him to keep his powers but it seemed Odin still thought he could be redeemed. That only left the question of what his punishment was to be. He couldn't help but steal a glance at his brother, hoping to glean some idea, but his hope was futile.
"I take from you your voice."
It took a moment for the words to sink in, before his world crashed around him. He couldn't help but fall to his knees. Loki was many things, a sorcerer, a trickster, a god and a prince, but above all he was a wordsmith. Even without his magic, his silver tongue would not fail him. His words were the source of who he was, they were his real power. The magic was just tricks and science, but with his words he could tear apart a nation. "Please, no." He whispered, unsure whether it was only in his mind or not.
Frantic, he looked up to where his brother stood beside him, unsurprised. He knew it would happen, that was why he asked those questions. He looked to Frigga, whose face was blank aside from the single tear, and he looked to Odin, who was handed one of many artefacts from the Vault.
Odin held the artefact before him, asking "do you have any final words?"
His eyes misting over he struggled to his feet. "Curse you all!" He screamed, lunging forward before Thor grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Curse you!"
And suddenly he couldn't breathe. He felt like he had just been hit in the chest with Mjolnir, and he collapsed back down to his knees. Tears flowed freely as his throat constricted. He felt like he was suffocating, his vision clouded over and he saw stars, and it felt like he was back in that unfathomable void. He started to choke, and then vomited. As Thor went to hold him he collapsed, unconscious.