Chapter 15

It was clear a good number of the population had already formed an opinion. Sigyn felt her blood boiling and fought to keep her anger in check. Thor squeezed her hand as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

She came to the realization too late, most of these people had come for entertainment purposes rather than for justice. Just as she was worrying this would turn out to be a massive mistake, she saw Loki through his head back and laugh. The sound dulled the noise of the crowd. Of course he's eating this up Sigyn rolled her eyes.

"Why hold this at all if you've already made up your mind?" Loki raised his eyebrows at Odin.

"You are mistaken Loki," Odin said firmly. "I have not made up my mind. However, if you choose to waste my time you will be immediately thrown back into that cell and will never see the light of day again".

Loki looked like he was going to make a snarky reply, but caught Sigyn's fearful gaze just in time. He gulped and took a steadying breath. "I will not waste anyone's time".

"So tell us Loki...what caused your actions on Midgard?"

Still looking Sigyn in the eye as if trying to prove he was honouring his promise he answered. "I was manipulated by...another powerful force".

Odin was already impatient. "Tell us Loki. Who could have possibly controlled a Prince of Asgard to act in such a way?"

"I'm not Asgardian," Loki reminded him darkly.

Sigyn felt like putting her head and her hands, but resisted and instead stared hopelessly at him. Odin didn't respond, but Loki could clearly tell he was on borrowed time.

"It was...Thanos," he finally admitted it.

There were audible gasps in the crowd, Odin's good eye had grown large, and poor Frigga looked as if she would faint.

"Thanos is no more than a story…"

Loki shook his head. "I assure you he is not. He is just as big of a threat as what the stories say and he seeks to destroy half the universe's population. He has an infinity stone and is currently seeking the others. He's just as big, and evil, and as intimidating as you have all been told…and he is quite purple".

Odin was silent for a long time. The rest of the room stayed silent as well, waiting for the King's response.

"How do we know you are telling us the truth?"

Loki thought about it for a few moments. "Well first of all, I don't know what I would gain to lie about this right now. In fact, telling you all will probably bring me quite the consequence if he ever finds out. Secondly, I will consent to use of the psychogalvanometer…" he finished quietly.

Sigyn went to leap to her feet in protest, but Thor tugged her back down only to rise up himself. "Loki that-"

"I know brother," Loki had turned to look back at him. "I know exactly what I am consenting to".

Sigyn knew about the lie detectors on Midgard, where the person is strapped in and asked a series of questions. They read a chart based on the subject's answers to determine how truthful the person was. This would be nothing like that.

Loki would be chained to a machine that would shoot energy through him like electricity. The pain of it was so unbearable the machine was almost never used. If the subject were to lie, even in the slightest, the pain would be so unbearable people had died.

Sigyn could feel the sweat bead on her forehead. Odin couldn't possibly agree to the use of that torture device could he? Frigga had urgently whispered something to Odin, no doubt begging him not to use it.

People in the crowd had begun to shout. They were insisting upon the use of the machine. They didn't trust him and hearing the name 'Thanos' scared them. They wanted to be sure. Odin threw it to the people to vote and it was almost unanimous.

"Very well...we will take a break and in 30 minutes begin the test". With that Odin hit his staff on the ground dismissing the crowd. Frigga had thrown her hands over her face in horror.

Sigyn could only watch as the guards forcefully shoved Loki through the side doors to take him into a holding area for now. She thought he had mouthed 'I'm sorry' before he disappeared from view.

She sat in the corridor with her knees pulled up and her face buried against them. She was taking deep breaths trying to stop herself from having a panic attack. Had she known this would go this far, she wouldn't have insisted on the trial.

Thor was pacing in front of her clearly aggravated. Sigyn wished he would stop as it was stressing her out.

"Sigyn!" Sif rushed down the hall and dropped to her knees beside her friend. She rubbed her back, "He will be okay…"

"I pushed him into this. If this goes wrong, it's my fault," Sigyn's voice was muffled by her arms.

"He said himself living his days in the cell was not living at all. If he was honest with you and everyone about what happened, you have nothing to fear," Sif reasoned.

Sigyn nodded. Sif was right of course. She had trusted what he told her, it was up to him to be honest or not. When it came down to it, this was completely his call.

"Attention. The trial will now resume," a guard's voice boomed over the crowd.

Sigyn joined the crowd as they shuffled back into the room. She gasped and tried to choke back the tears when her eyes fell on Loki. He was strapped to the board at the front of the hall. Beams of light danced across his body, holding him there and waiting to probe him. His head was hung, clearly already in pain. Nearby Frigga was openly weeping.