Hello :) This is the longest chapter yet. It starts with Thor but soon shifts its attention to Loki. Enjoy!


Thor went straight into Odin's chambers. He knew his father would want to see him as soon as possible.

"Father." Thor greeted Odin politely.

"Thor, my son. You have made me proud." Odin said sincerely. He didn't make any move to embrace his son. Thor wouldn't expect him to do so. His father was the king of Asgard and he always behaved with such dignity, even in private.

"Thank you."

"What do the mortals with whom you fought think about Asgard?" Odin asked Thor.

"What do you mean?" Thor was confused.

"If they hear Asgard, do they imagine you or Loki?"

"Um…me I guess. Loki introduced himself as being from Asgard from what I have heard but I made the situation clear. They know that Asgard had no idea about Loki's invasion and that when we heard I came to help to stop him."

"Good." Odin said shortly and walked towards the window which offered a breath-taking view of Asgard.

"These are uncertain times, Thor. Not so long ago we were on the brink of war with Jotunheim. We cannot allow ourselves to be taken into another conflict."

"Yes, father." Thor answered. He wasn't sure where Odin was going. He always liked to lecture Thor about the politics of ruling, which Thor needed as his successor, but usually Odin's words wore a double meaning.

"You brought Loki back to Asgard." Odin turned and faced Thor. Thor was uncertain about what to say.

"Yes. I was sure Heimdall would have told you that we were coming in advance."

"He did. I took the necessary precautions." Thor didn't know what these were but he kept his mouth shut and waited for Odin to arrive to the point.

"Didn't the mortals mind?" Odin asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Think, Thor. Loki invaded their planet and tried to enslave them. Didn't they want to punish him for his actions?" Thor tensed. He never thought of this.

"I don't know father. I made it clear that I will bring Loki to face Asgardian justice. I think they were satisfied with that."

"As a king, you will have to think about these things, Thor. The difference between war and peace may depend on such details."

Thor was getting impatient. He felt exhausted after the fighting on Midgard and so far the only reward he got from his father was a lecture about strategy.

"It is not as if I had a choice, father. I couldn't leave Loki on Midgard anyway. They would have executed him." Thor said defensively.

Odin looked Thor sternly in the eyes.

"That would be none of our business. They had all rights to do so."

"What?" Thor found himself saying. "Surely you don't mean that." One look into Odin's eyes told Thor that he did.

"He's your son." Thor said more loudly.

"He seems determined that I am not."

"Loki keeps saying that because he feels abandoned, father. I am sure he doesn't actually believe in it." Thor needed to defend Loki.

"Maybe it would be better if he did. A true son of mine would have never done what he did. I gave him life, Thor. He was supposed to die on that frozen rock as a baby. I made him a prince and what did he do to repay me? He brought shame on Asgard." Odin said dryly. Thor had a lump in his throat. What scared him was that his father seemed to be completely unemotional about the whole situation.

"Surely you wouldn't want him to repay you for raising him." Thor said finally.

"No. But he has always been a…disappointment. I thought that his Frost Giant heritage would make him a strong warrior but he was always too…soft. Never quite like you, Thor. The only thing that reminds of his Jotun blood seem to be his cruelty and deceitfulness."

Thor couldn't believe his ears. Suddenly, he started to understand Loki's resentment towards his family. He remembered telling Loki that his slights were imagined. He wasn't quite as sure about that anymore. Thor never even thought about the idea that their father would treat them differently. He always automatically assumed that Odin loved both of them equally as all fathers surely do.

"Father, do you love Loki?" Thor asked uncertainly. A flash of guilt seemed to run across Odin's eyes.

"I tried to love him, Thor. I really did. But he was always so distant and he was never able to fulfil what I expected from him. Of course, I felt affection towards him, Thor, but he killed of all it by his recent actions. I will judge his as the king of Asgard. Nothing more."

"There is one thing that Loki was always better at than me, father. Do you know what it is?" Thor asked Odin not waiting for him to answer.

"Perceiving people. The fact that they call him the God of Lies and Mischief doesn't only imply that he causes these but also that he can clearly see through other people's words or intentions."

"Are you trying to imply that my lack of appreciation for him led him to attack Midgard?" Odin did not raise his voice but there was a clear threat.

"I am not trying to imply anything. I am just saying that Loki must have really felt abandoned. I dismissed the idea when he implied it but now…" Thor didn't finish the sentence. Suddenly it hit him.

"Father, Loki hasn't been lying or trying to deceive me. He really believes in what he says. He doesn't think that his family loves him at all. He doesn't think that I love him as a brother. He thinks that I only mock him with the term." Thor said incredulously. When Odin didn't react, Thor shouted.

"Father, you are the one who destroyed him! You destroyed our brotherhood!" Thor couldn't hold himself back. He felt himself breathing heavy. He saw that Odin was raging as well but before he got a chance to reply, Thor heard a soft yet firm voice from behind him.

"Enough."

Thor immediately turned around and saw his mother. Frigga had tears in her eyes but it didn't make her look less strong or determined.
"Thor, darling. I am so happy you have returned safely." Frigga said gently and went to hug Thor who gratefully returned the embrace. His breath was still uneven as he needed to process the argument that just occurred between him and Odin. Too soon, Frigga let go of her son.

"Thor, I really want to talk to you but unfortunately, there is an issue which I need to immediately discuss with your father in private. Could you please excuse us?" Frigga's voice didn't betray any emotion but Thor could see it in her eyes. Frigga had heard some of his conversation with Odin. This was about Loki. Thor only nodded and left the chambers.

Instinctively, he knew where to go.

Loki didn't know for how long he was sitting there, his back against the wall, his eyes closed and his breathing unnaturally slow. Finally, when he felt that his breathing has calmed him down, he allowed himself to open his eyes. To his relief, he managed to supress the tears from spilling out and his eyes have dried by now.

He wanted to feel rage but all he felt was hopelessness. Being closed in such a small place felt extremely uncomfortable for he knew that no matter what, he wouldn't be able to leave the place. On top of that, the fact that three of the walls were made from glass meant that anyone was able to see Loki.

Any passing guard could shift gaze into his direction and smirk on the fate of the fallen prince.

Loki felt like a dangerous animal that was caught and displayed as a trophy.

He hated the idea that he couldn't move freely but he wished to be at least left alone so that he could crawl into a corner. Any of this was impossible here; Loki wouldn't be able to survive the humiliation of anyone seeing him defeated and scared.

He tried to put himself into more comfortable position which only reminded him of the pain. He needed to look at himself to be able to see the extent of his injuries but of course his cell contained no mirror. Bloody hell, his cell contained absolutely nothing. It was driving him crazy; there was nothing he could touch, nothing he could throw and nothing to sit on. He was forced to sit on the ground. Like a beast. It was humiliating.

Slowly, he lifted his hand and gently pressed his knuckles against his right cheek. A soft moan escaped his lips. He looked at his hand and saw that it was bloody.

What was bothering his more were his lips. He ran his tongue across them and he felt a sharp pain. When he pressed his fingertips against them, he felt the raw texture. The muzzle was unforgiving and metal. He didn't know for how long he had it on but it definitely was for too long.

Not that anyone would care.

His brother most likely really enjoyed the picture of his brother's biggest weapon being contained.

It was Thor's idea in the end.

But then he remembered Thor saying that he didn't want to put it back on.

Liar. Just like his father.

Loki closed his eyes again. He must stop thinking. All of his ruminating was exhausting him and was causing him more anguish than his physical stat. It hurt so much to think about Thor. He had some basic ideas about Odin and Frigga. It was still painful but he accepted that he would never be loved by Odin. He tried to hate Frigga but he knew that he was only deceiving himself by refusing to call her his mother in his mind. Loki even admitted to himself that if he was allowed to see her, he would probably try to hug her. He was desperate to feel her warmth and hear her soft calming voice. He hoped with all his heart that Frigga – no let's call her mother – didn't hate him as the rest of them did. She was always his protector; he wouldn't survive losing her.

About Thor, however, Loki was truly confused. He remembered those years when they were small and Thor would protect his little brother from any harm.

"It is my job to protect you, Loki." Thor would tell him while gently rubbing the back of his neck in gesture that was so typically theirs. Loki would only smile back at him.

Where was his brother when he was falling through the void? Where was he when Thanos tortured him and then used his as his puppet?

Thor wasn't there. He only came to scold Loki and help his enemies to bring him down.

What hurt Loki the most was that Thor actually thought that enslaving a race and killing no matter how many mortals in the process was something that Loki would likely do.

Loki couldn't swallow the idea that Thor thought so low of him.

Was it because of the incident with the Frost Giants? But that was a different thing entirely, Loki would tell himself. He was only putting into effect his brother's own words. I'll hunt the monsters down and slay them all. Because that was what they were. The Frost Giants are not an innocent race as humans are. The Frost Giants are monsters.

And he is one of them.

Loki felt tears coming into his eyes again and he blinked angrily. He must stop torturing himself with all these thoughts.

Out of nowhere, he heard numerous footsteps approaching his cell. Mechanically, he straightened his back and put an impregnable mask on his face.

He was a prince if not a king after all.

Soon, he saw five guards coming in his direction. He shivered and stood up. Standing, he would have a better chance of defending himself if the need be. He stayed close to the solid wall as if it could give him any sort of protection.

"Put your hands up." One of the guards said. Loki looked at him confused.

"I said put your hands up. Don't move." The guard said again. Loki still didn't understand but did as he was told. He lifted his arms up, bent in elbows with his palms open.

Satisfied with what they saw, the guards let the wall behind them disintegrate and stepped inside the cell. The wall materialised behind them.

Loki felt fear rising inside him but he was determined not to let it show. He knew he was outnumbered and he didn't like it.

The guards circled around him from all three sides.

"Kneel." They said finally.

Loki thought he must have heard incorrectly. Did they expect him to kneel in front of them? Him? Their prince?

"You must be joking." He said only.

The guards exchanged looks of disgust and annoyance. Without further delay, the one standing in front of Loki smashed his fist into Loki's stomach. Loki felt all his wounds opening and cursing him for not being compliant. He felt his shattered ribs cracking unnaturally. He wasn't able to catch a breath. He felt as if he was wearing that filthy muzzle yet again.

He felt two strong hands pulling on his shoulders and being unable to resist their will he felt himself fall on his knees while breathing heavily.

Without warning, the guards roughly grabbed his wrists and pulled them up over his head. Then he felt a cold metal against his skin and he heard a sharp click. Then the guards let go of him and he felt his arms falling beside his crouched form. He shifted his gaze at his wrists and noticed that there was a thin metal bracelet on each of them. He didn't understand and so with all the courage and strength he could master, he looked up at the guards.

They were smirking at him.

"What is this?" Loki asked hating himself for lowering enough to talk to those people and being so out of control of what was happening to him.

"You don't know?" One of the guards raised his brow. "Don't you feel it?"

Loki was even more puzzled but then he felt a numbing wave running across his body. He breathed out loudly in surprise. What was happening to him?

"These bracelets were created by the king himself. They bound your magic. No matter how hard you try, with these on you will be unable to use your magic on anyone or anything." The guard said only.

Loki panicked. No. Not even Odin would take his magic away from him.

"Why?" He found himself saying. "These walls are charmed so that no magic can penetrate them. Why bother with this?"

"Precautions." The guard said only. He nodded to the rest and all of them left. This time they didn't even mind turning their backs on unchained Loki. They knew that prince's physical condition was quite critical and with his magic bound, they weren't afraid of him anymore.

Loki couldn't stop staring at those bracelets around his wrists. Magic was invaluable to him. It gave him the power he lacked in physical state. It was the perfect tool to cause mischief with. It connected him to his mother.

Loki backed again to the solid wall and leaned on it.

Why was his family doing this to him?

His brother muzzled him. His father supressed his magic. They all threw him into this cell.

The worst thing was that Loki did understand why they were doing all these things. They think him to be the monster who tried to usurp the Asgardian throne and when he failed at that, he attacked Midgard.

They thought him to be the monster that he was.

Loki wanted to tell them that he didn't want to do it. That Thanos forced him. He wanted to tell them that he meant it. I could have done it. For you. For all of us. He wanted to tell them that he will try harder to supress the monster inside him and try to be worthy of being Asgardian.

But he would never do it. Loki would never lower himself to show affection to those who would show none to him. To those who kept him only as a war trophy. He would have been a good king, he was sure of it. A king needs to be intelligent, educated and a little cunning. He didn't lack any of those qualities while his brother lacked all of them.

He brought knees to his chest only to feel an incredible pain in his broken ribs. He bit his raw lips and he knew that he was unable to stop it anymore. The physical pain combined with his mental suffering was just too much.

He knew he was doing it too much lately. When he was talking to Thor on Bifrost. When Thor tried to reason with him in the Stark Tower. Yet he couldn't stop himself from doing it again.

Loki brought his face to his knees and started to cry.

He didn't hear the heavy footsteps echoing around the dungeons.

Thor looked into the cell he knew to be his brother's and he felt a lump forming in his throat. He couldn't believe what he saw.

His proud remorseless brother was leaning on the wall and crying all alone.


Thank you for reading :) Would you like me to include Frigga's conversation with Odin in the next chapter?