When Ellie finished her story, the once bright blue sky was now fading into waves of deep reds and purples. She had recounted everything- well, everything she felt to be of importance to her story- to Odin, her voice being the only one to fill the room for quite a while. Every now and then, the All-Father would ask her a question, but for the most part, it was only Ellie that spoke.
"How did my son treat you in his care?" He asked.
Ellie was still for a moment. "How do you mean?"
"How he kept you," Odin said. "Were you fed?"
Ellie could feel a little bitterness creeping up inside her. He wanted to know how Loki treated his prisoner. Maybe he was looking for a sign that there was still some good in Loki, something to redeem. Ellie knew there were people who'd done bad things that could be and actually had been redeemed, but all she could see in her mind's eye was Henry. Still, she wasn't going to lie.
"He gave me my own room," she told him. "I had a warm bed and I never went hungry. I even could go to the library he set up if I wanted. I just couldn't talk with anyone, really."
She wasn't about to make it out to be as though she'd lived in a paradise, but again, Loki hadn't kept her as a traditional prisoner. Every pair of eyes in the room remained on her, watching her every move. She wondered if they were judging her on the truth of her story. She supposed since she was talking about someone who, in this world, was held as a royal, they needed to be a little more weary of her story. But it didn't make her feel any more comfortable.
"Did my son ever physically harm you?" Odin asked.
Ellie thought back to when Loki had shoved her that day in the library, grasping her arms so tightly they'd left bruises. She recounted that event to Odin but when she tried to think of anything else…
"That's it," Ellie said, softly. Odin blinked.
"Pardon?"
"That was it," she said. "Only that one time. He didn't…" Ellie thought back to her confinement. Yes, Loki had hissed at her, hinted at a threat in a low, dark voice and even spooked her at times solely for his own amusement. But in all the time she'd been there, he'd never lifted a hand against her. Never hit her or harmed her.
"Did he attempt to defile you?"
This drew reactions from those surrounding them. The elder woman gasped, her face paling as though shocked that the All-Father would ever suggest such a horrid thing. The three men whispered among themselves and Thor and the woman in silver armor regarded Loki with piercing eyes.
Ellie felt her throat go dry. She knew exactly what that question meant, but she didn't think he would be so… forward about it. She paused, thinking back. Again, she remembered one time, but, but that hadn't even been him touching her. He'd only said one thing,
"""And why would I defile your body when I know there will come a day when you shall offer yourself to me of your own will?"""
Other than that, nothing. Sure, he'd touched her, but it had always been along the lines of stroking her hair or touching her chin. Come to think of it, he'd never, even in passing or a joking manner, touched her in any way that might be thought of as sexual. She shook her head.
"No," she said.
"You needn't lie to protect yourself, Midgardian," the woman in silver armor spoke up. "Loki can no longer harm you."
"Sif," Thor spoke up, "Enough!"
"Don't try to protect him, Thor-"
"Silence!" Odin snapped. Both figures shrank back, still fuming. The woman turned away from Thor, openly disgusted.
"Really," Ellie spoke up again. "He didn't… he didn't do anything like that." He might have wanted to, Ellie thought, but he'd acted on it. Had he really been waiting for her to come to him? He should have known she'd never agree to it, so why….
She didn't want to know Loki's reasonings. Hell, she didn't even want to know Loki. She pushed the thought out of her head and looked back up at Odin, continuing her , Ellie found herself with no more words to say about what had happened, good or bad. She believed she'd told King Odin everything of importance, at least she thought so. Odin seemed to be out of questions himself and nodded to her.
"I thank you for your honesty," he said.
Ellie blinked, jaw dropping a little. She felt silly. She knew the man she was speaking to had powers, but how could he tell she hadn't lied? Maybe it had been from raising Loki.
She bowed to him in thanks. He motioned for her to step away before he looked to the guards holding Loki. They brought him forward to the front of the throne, directing him to look right at Odin. Ellie could only see the back of Loki's head, but she could guess that his expression was not a pleasant one.
"Loki Odinson," His voice, soft as it was, overtook the room.
Loki snarled.
"You stand before me a culprit of many crimes. You bare the blood of both Midgardians and Jotuns upon your hands. You attempted to destroy an entire realm. You have brought pain and suffering upon both worlds, destroyed the lives of innocents and sentenced a mortal to a life away from her friends and family. Your acts have shown me nothing but the darkness in her heart."
Ellie's heart stopped. Odin closed his eyes.
"Yet, even if you were not bound to an innocent life, I could not bring myself to sentence you to death."
All eyes turned to Odin.
"You shall pay for your crimes in full, Loki, make no mistake, but after what I have heard from this mortal-"
Ellie felt her heart go up into her throat.
"As well as your brother-"
Loki snarled again.
"Your heart is not a dark as you would have us all believe. Perhaps it is a wish of an old man," he said, "But I do not believe my son to be the monster he sees himself as. Loki Odinson," Odin held his head high, his presence even more overpowering than the man who had greeted them when they had first arrived in Asgard.
"I sentence you to eternal confinement within the walls of this palace. For the time being, you will be confined to your old quarters until I have seen reason to allow you Access to the rest of the palace. Your powers shall be suppressed and you shall be kept under continuous watch." He nodded to the guards. "Take him away."
"Deprive me of my freedom all you wish, All-Father, it shall make no difference," Loki hissed softly.
"You speak without any knowledge of what the future shall bring," Odin said. "When you know the true feeling of a cage, perhaps things will become clear."
Odin's words chilled Ellie. She'd been ready to step forward, declaring Loki's sentence to be too light. She would have, maybe, understood if Loki had been sentenced to death - even though she knew what it would have meant for her, but eternal imprisonment? And especially in a place like this?
But she remembered her own cage. Her golden cage with warmth and comfort and good food and constant- if unwanted- attention. But it was still a cage. No sun, no sky, not even a window to show the outside world. Even pets got brought out of their cages, allowed to run around and play with other animals. She would have been trapped down there or wherever Loki might have taken her forever. A comfy, warm cell, but still a cell. No sun, no sky, no friends, no freedom. And Loki, as far as she knew, was immortal. Immortal and sentenced to life in a cell forever.
That was hell.
The guards started to pull Loki away. His eyes fell upon Ellie.
"All-Father," he said suddenly, his voice strangely calm. "If my sentence is for eternity, then allow me one last taste of freedom."
"You don't deserve such-" The woman in silver began again, but Odin held his hand to silence her. Originally Ellie had wondered if this woman was acting in her defense. She knew Thor to be the God of Thunder, perhaps she was in the presence of the God who guarded or women or victims of crimes. But the hate for Loki in her eyes seemed to blaze. He'd wronged her greatly somehow.
Ellie didn't blame her.
"What is it you wish for, Loki?" Odin asked. The God of Mischief's eyes turned right back to Ellie.
"Let me touch my beautiful flower one last time."
The whole room seemed to speak at once. The woman in silver, Thor, even the Woman who'd appeared to be Loki's mother disapproved. Ellie took a step back, fear tightening around her heart.
Odin lifted his hand, silence fell over the room again.
"If the young woman agrees," Odin said. "Then yes."
The room erupted again, some even shouting for Odin to rethink his choice. Ellie looked back at Loki, his eyes gleamed with desire, anger, a bled of emotions that left Ellie in a tizzy. Ellie still knew so little of Loki, but she knew he would always find a way to get what he wanted in the end.
Better to do it on her own terms.
"Okay."
Her voice, soft as it was, made the room grow still. Everyone's eyes, even Loki's, showed shock. She stepped forward, holding out her hand, her eyes as strong as she could keep them.
"Go on," she said, her voice a mix of sharpness and fear. "Just do it already."
Loki smiled, his arms relaxing as the guards released him. He said nothing as he approached her, regarding her eyes watching his every move. He reached out and took her one hand in both of his, holding it gently. His fingers moved over each digit of her hand, like a sculptor getting to know his materials before crafting a masterpiece.
Ellie had never gotten used to Loki's touch, never gotten to a point where she was comfortable with it. But as uncomfortable as it was, this time felt different. It was not a sly touch nor a touch meant to "remind" her who she "belonged to", it was slow, careful, as though he were memorizing her skin, savoring it. He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Ellie remained perfectly still.
He turned her hand over, leaning down and placing his lips very gently, kissed her wrist. His touch was so light that for a split second, Ellie wasn't sure if it was actually Loki who was touching her.
Then, from the corner of her eye, she saw it. A small green spark where Loki's lips met her wrist. She yanked her hand away, the guards pulling him back, starting to guide him from the room. Ellie took a few shallow breaths, looking down at her wrist. Nothing, not even a mark. But she knew what she had seen! She clutched her wrists, hoping whatever Loki hadn't been too horrible. She lifted her eyes, meeting Loki's gaze one last time, a smile, as always, on his lips as he was lead out of the throne room.
