Summary: This is a little excerpt for a new story down the line and I wanted to get some input on it. If it sounds like a new or original idea, if it sounds good, etc...drop me a review telling me what you all think please! Thanks in advance! :D
DisclaimHer: I own nothing except all of the Loki pictures I gathered. Er...what pictures? Umm...yeah...*coughs*
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It shouldn't have happened; but it did. They all knew he was guilty of the atrocities committed on Midgard. But they had no idea WHY he had done what he did. They all assumed that he went crazy, that something caused him to go insane. Frigga was ashamed to admit that no one had looked closer into Loki's story, most of Asgard believing Loki's tale to be more of his silver-tongued lies. She had allowed her grief and shame to overwhelm her, to blind her, to the crux of the matter. No one had spoken in his defense and Frigga would carry that burden of guilt for the rest of her days. The memories of those sad green eyes would haunt her forever.
They hadn't believed him. Loki had been standing before them, not begging, but crying silently, openly, and they hadn't believed him. He hadn't begged for mercy, he had only wanted them to listen. They took his words with a grain of a salt, nothing more. They should have listened.
She remembered vividly the trial of her youngest son...
Loki stood before them, his back to the rest of Asgard. Most of the population of Asgard were glaring at the dark prince, but no one dared make a remark while Odin spoke.
"I find you guilty of the crime of murdering innocents, and the attempted murder of your brother, Thor. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Odin's voice boomed throughout the packed but silent chamber.
Loki looked down a moment before his head rose and he stared into the Allfather's eyes. "I...wish to apologize to you. I never meant to hurt you. I-I-" Loki looked away for a second, trying to regain his composure. When he looked back at the Royal Family, they all noticed the tears in his eyes and the tracks down his face.
"My children...he took them...at first I thought it was a joke, a prank if you will." Loki laughs hollowly. It is a broken sound that no man or God should ever make. He didn't notice the many gaping faces of the Asgardian population staring at his back in shock. Thor was little better. He had no idea that Loki had had children other than Sleipner.
"Nari was playing with his brother, Narfi, in the woods...I turned to grab my spellbook..." Loki pauses and his fists clench tightly enough that the knuckles turned solid white. "I turned around and they were gone."
"I searched everywhere, thinking they had gone too far in the forest to play and had lost track of time. Days passed, which turned into weeks with no sign of them. Then I received the first communication from Thanos." Loki spat out the Titan's name like a damning curse, hate and revulsion in his green eyes.
Odin's blue eye widened at the Mad One's name.
How had Loki come to know that dreadful name?
"In the note, he stated that he wanted Thor's death or my children would die." Thor gasped as had Frigga and Odin wasn't faring much better.
"I ignored the message, still hoping that my children would turn up. They did show up about a week later after the message. They were dead. Their throats slit."
Loki closed his eyes in grief, as if he was still there in that moment. He then appeared to mentally shake himself and continued with his story.
"Millenia went by without contact from Thanos and I stupidly let my guard down, thinking that the rest of my children were safe."
Loki smile's was full of regret and sorrow. "He then took my last three children. My youngest, Hela, was only 2 cycles old." Small gasped erupted from the crowd.
"I then received another note from Thanos telling me to kill Thor or my children were dead." Loki's breath hitched as another wave of sobs racked his thin frame.
"I couldn't do it." he cried. "I couldn't choose between my brother and my children!" he buried his face in his hands to stifle the cries, to no avail.
Still crying, Loki raised his head and once again stared directly at his father.
"I'm so sorry for hurting you. I never meant-I you were never supposed to try and stop me!" He looked at Thor. "You were supposed to hate me! Hate me for hurting you! But you didn't and I couldn't-I couldn't choose!" Loki's legs collapsed beneath him and he hit the marble floor of the Great Hall, uncaring that so many people were witnessing his broken moment.
Loud whispers began in the hall, some sympathizing, but most not believing in Loki's tale, believing it to be a fable to escape the justice of his crimes.
The Royal Family had had their doubts as well, but in the end, Odin had come to a decision.
When Odin stood up, the crowd of mutterings and whispers went immediately silent.
"Loki of Asgard you have been found guilty of your crimes of treason and murder and attempted murder. You will be executed in a fortnight's time at dawn."
A loud cheer rose up in the back of the hall and Loki continued to stare at his family, his expression telling them that he already knew what the verdict would be before Odin had even uttered it.
That should have told them something. Loki's lack of emotional well-being toward himself and his impending death should have told them that something else was still wrong.
"Do you have any last words you wish to say before you are taken away?" Odin boomed.
"Yes," the disgraced prince intoned quietly.
He stood up and slowly approached the Royal Family where they sat. Guards immediately moved to intercept, but with a wave of Odin's hand they hung back, but not so far from him that they couldn't attack him if he did something unwise.
Loki looked up at each member of his family, his usual mischievously twinkling eyes dull and solemn.
"Please believe me when I tell you how much I love you. Please understand that I didn't have a choice. I never would have hurt you otherwise. Never. You have to know that." He looked down and away from them as if he was having to struggle to find the words to convey his feelings.
He looked back up at them, steely resolve suddenly in his eyes, and Odin opened his mouth to shout to the guards, thinking that Loki was attacking, when his youngest son beat him to the punch.
"Thanos is still out there somewhere, biding his time. He is plotting to attack Asgard even as I speak." Before anyone could stop him, Loki brought his hands together and then expanded them.
Despite the anti-magic wards and cuffs and chains intertwined around his body, a long magical object appeared out of thin air and into Loki's waiting hands.
The guards moved in to attack, and Loki looked beseechingly at his father. "Wait! Please! You need to hear this!" he plead.
Odin stared for a few seconds into his youngest son's face and nodded cautiously.
The guards stayed where were they were and didn't sheathe their weapons.
Loki payed them no mind as he only had eyes for his family.
Loki held up the mysterious object. It was a scroll. Long and ornate with mysterious carvings at each end, it resembled something in the Forgotten section of the Grand Library that could be found there.
"This scroll...this scroll will set everything right in case Asgard falls." Loki ignored the jeers and angry sentiment from the crowd behind him. He knew what was at stake and he understand the callous ruthlessness that Thanos regarded sentient beings with. He had, afterall, experienced it firsthand.
Loki continued to speak after Odin called for silence. "I made this scroll a long time ago in case...in case the inevitable should come to pass. It can only be opened by members of the Royal Family. It is keyed to your unique signatures. It can only be opened by placing a drop of blood at each end of the scroll. It will activate after you read the words inside. Please, I beg of you. When Asgard falls, use this scroll. It will save everything."
Loki then gently, almost reverently, placed the scroll on the floor and backed away.
He looked up at his family once again. His expression telling them without words how much they meant to him and how much he dearly loved them.
Frigga came out of the memory with a small gasp and found tears falling down upon her cheeks.
They shouldn't have been so hasty. Loki shouldn't have been executed that day. He had been right Thanos. He'd also been right about the scroll.
And well, that's that! Hope you liked it! :D