A/N: I apologize for the long wait. The chapter I was writing (#12) was not cooperating with me. Anyway, this one is short and very talk-y (well most of my stuff is talk-y), but it is important to Loki's future living conditions. I hope you enjoy!
Warning: Asgardians being jerks
Captain Steve Rogers remains on Asgard while Natasha immediately returns to Earth to debrief S.H.I.E.L.D. After changing into his uniform, he is taken by Thor to the King and Queen in order to inform them of what has been learned from their adopted son. There are far more people in the throne room than Steve would like, but it isn't his call as to who should be included.
Odin wears his large, golden helmet that matches the golden patch covering his right eye. Thor, too, is wearing his winged helmet. And though Captain America also wears a helmet, by comparison it is very humble indeed.
The Warriors Three are there with Sif as usual. Odin's trusted advisors are also there, seven men of varying ages wearing grand fabrics and leathers with gold metalwork.
"Well?" Odin asks, his eyes holding strength and impatience.
"Loki has told me of a man, a man from my past, who will be coming to take over Earth."
The All-Father is unimpressed. "That is what he told you before, or so my son informed me."
"Yes. But now we understand why Loki tried to take over Earth with the Chitauri."
"Yes?" Frigga asks hopefully.
"He was tortured. He was tortured by the man he spoke of."
Odin's face remains blank. "He should have been strong enough to withstand it."
Steve takes a breath. "It wasn't about getting Loki to agree to anything. Red Skull was looking for the source of his magic. He was ripping him apart, cutting him open. By the time Red Skull realized he couldn't find what he was after, they made Loki help them."
"Loki could have refused."
"They probably would have killed him."
Sif's voice rings through the chamber. "Better to die a hero than live a coward."
"Maybe he wanted to see his brother again," Steve offers. "Maybe he knew that like all tyrants, the Chitauri and Red Skull wouldn't be content with just Earth. Maybe he knew they'd come after Asgard."
Odin raises his eyebrow. "Do you know that with certainty?"
"No," Steve admits. "But I know he's trying to help us now by warning us of what's coming. Surely that and what he's been through earns him some compassion."
xxx
"And what of the Tesseract?" Director Fury asks.
Natasha looks at his image on the screen. She and Clint are at the Albuquerque headquarters. Fury and Coulson are on the Helicarrier. Stark and Banner are in New York.
The one-eyed head of S.H.I.E.L.D. continues. "Will Stark and Banner be allowed to examine it?"
"Don't know yet, Sir," she informs him. "Thor hasn't gotten back to us. But I'm not sure it will make much difference. According to Loki, the Tesseract requires magic to control properly. We need someone with magical abilities to help us understand it."
Tony speaks up. "Science is magic. Show someone from a 100 years ago our technology, and they'll swear it's hocus-pocus. We just need access and time to understand it."
Fury concurs. "I'd still like Stark and Banner to take a look. Just because our scientists couldn't get it to work in all the time we had it doesn't mean the two evil geniuses over there can't." He ignores the gestures and facial expressions of the scientists. "What else did you and Rogers learn?"
"Loki was operated on," she says matter-of-factly. "Well, he was cut open, poked, prodded. Red Skull thought the source of his magic could be found within his body and looked for it. Apparently, most of Loki's magic was spent on keeping himself alive."
"Might be why he was so weak and looked like crap when he first arrived," Clint offers.
Director Fury is taking the information in, thinking it over. "Where's Captain Rogers now?"
"Informing the Asgardians, Sir."
"He still hoping to get Loki out of the dungeon?"
"I think so, Sir."
"Well while he's there, let's hope he puts in a good word for our scientists."
xxx
"We know Loki was tortured to get to his magic in order to control the Tesseract," Captain America informs the Asgardians. "But we would still like our scientists to look at it. If they could be paired with someone here who knows magic, that would be ideal."
Thor offers, "We can have our people take another look at it and provide you with their findings. Here, science and magic are the same, intertwined as two lovers."
The Captain is a little thrown by the simile. "Uh, well, we'd like our scientists involved," he says slowly.
"No," Odin replies, and the tone indicates that the topic is closed. "The Tesseract is too dangerous for Midgardian hands. You all have proven that you are not yet ready for such power."
"Director Fury and the leaders of Earth won't be happy with your decision, but I will inform them of it. Now about Loki…"
"What about Loki?"
"Given what we now know, I think it would be best to move him out of the dungeon."
"Oh?" Odin says with an amused lilt. "Do you?"
"Yes, Sir."
"And why, pray tell, should he be removed?"
The Captain is beginning to wonder if he has to spell out everything. "Because, Sir, the actions he took were under duress. Given different circumstances, I do not think he would have attacked Earth."
"You obviously do not know my son."
"Perhaps not, but I do know that's the first time I've heard you call him your son. If you really think of him that way, maybe try showing him a little kindness."
"He is in the dungeon as a punishment. Not just for what he did on Midgard but for what he did to me, to Thor, to Asgard when I went into the Odinsleep."
Captain America chooses his next words carefully. "It appears he is being punished twice." He holds up a finger. "One – He is in the dungeons, being fed gruel, pissing into a bucket, and chained to a wall." He holds up a second finger. "Two – He's wearing a collar that prevents him from doing any magic." He puts his hand down. "He was tortured for his magic, and now you've taken that away from him. From what Thor has told me, Loki's magic is a big part of his identity. I'd say keeping that suppressed is punishment enough."
The Captain looks at the each of the faces in the room. "Now you can leave him in the dungeon, let his hatred and animosity of you grow. But if he happens to escape, whether by his own cunning or the help of others, whose side do you think he'll be on? Yours? If, on the other hand, you show him some kindness and let him go back to his own rooms, let him bathe and eat real food, he might actually help you defend Asgard should you need it."
"We do not need help defending Asgard!" Volstagg exclaims. A large cheer comes from the others in the room, from everyone except Thor, Odin, and Frigga.
Odin stands, and the room goes silent. "Our large friend Volstagg is correct. We do not need help from him. We do not need help from any outsiders."
Frigga rises and puts a hand on her husband's arm. "Odin, my love, Loki is not an outsider. Will you at least consider freeing him from the dungeon? He can be held just as well in his own room. We can have the sorcerers prevent him from leaving it."
His eye softens as it looks upon his wife. "It is dangerous to allow magic near Loki," the All-Father replies.
"Will you at least consider it?"
"Please, Father," Thor adds his voice to his mother's. "I have seen Loki's eyes grow to hate me during his captivity. Some kindness might bring him back to us."
"I will consider it," Odin finally says.
"No!" Sif cries. "He is not one of us. He was never one of us. He was always different. You all know it as well as I." She looks to Odin. "And he proved his disdain for both you and Thor when as king he would not pardon his brother and place Thor on the throne where he rightfully belonged."
"Sif," Thor breathes as his blue eyes look sadly at her. "I do not understand your venom. Loki is my brother. I love him as though he were indeed my blood. I do not wish to see him in the dungeons. I never have."
"You are blinded by a brother's love. I am not."
"Even so," the God of Thunder begins, "Captain Rogers is correct. We lose nothing by moving Loki out of the dungeon. And in return we may regain him as an ally." He directs his last statements to the entire room. "My vote is for compassion. Treat him as a man, and a man he shall become. Treat him as a monster, and All-Father help us should the monster get loose."
The words hang in the air. They are good words, and the All-Father is proud of his son for pronouncing him. But words are easy to say, especially when one is not the king.
Odin nods to indicate he will take Thor's view under advisement and leaves the room.
Sif, angry and disdainful, slips away unnoticed as Thor and Captain America converse.
