Kara had been right. The battle was bloody and gruesome, the stuff of nightmares.
She knew she would remember it, Kara remembered them all. The fighting and the death didn't haunt her, like it she knew it did many. It was just something in her, she supposed. That something wild that the Queen always mentioned.
She trekked across what was once a roaring mass of fighting soldiers, clashing steel, ripping flesh, battle cries and dying screams. Her fellow warriors were putting down enemy survivors, silencing the dying breaths of those who had fallen but would never stand again.
It was a terrible job. But it needed to be done.
Kara made her way to where a group of warriors had gathered in the remnants of a small village.
The King was with them now that the battle was won. Kara supposed that Odin must be close to his next Sleep if he was not leading in her stead.
The group had gathered around a small townhouse and Odin was barking orders at whoever was inside "Come out, now! Surrender yourself peacefully and end this." There was no reply for a long time. Almost five minutes went by before a man's voice rang out "Please, my king! He won't let us leave!"
Odin shook his head "If you harbor this fugitive any longer there will be consequences."
Kara choked down a growl "My King, these people are innocents. You would harm them?"
"Be silent, Captain." The King faced the house and seeing no movement, nor hearing a response, he called to another warrior. The new man brought a torch, flame flickering on the end. He stood before the barred door and took the torch to the thatch roof.
Kara cried out, "Stop! Now! These people are innocent!" The man hesitated. He couldn't ignore an order from his Captain, but he couldn't disobey the King either. The She-Wolf would punish him severely, should he disobey her but if he disobeyed the King the result was the same.
Odin faced Kara "The man in this house is wanted by all of the Nine Realms. He will die."
Kara snarled, gold eyes flashing "I will not allow the murder of innocents!" Odin gestured with his hand and Kara found herself restrained by four of her men, Odin's staff rested at her torso. He levelled her with a firm stare "You will obey your king. You may lead Asgard's armies, but I rule Asgard. I rule you, She-Wolf." He spit her title like it was a dirty word. The King took the torch from the frozen warrior and threw it to the roof, the thatch bursting into flames and engulfing the house in moments.
When the screaming started, so did Kara's struggle. The She-Wolf truly didn't want to harm her fellow warriors, but she would not allow even the King of the Nine Realms to discard innocent lives so carelessly. Kara threw the men from her, it took little effort. There was a reason for her name.
She ran to the house and reached for the door but faltered when a sharp pain bloomed across the back of her head. Kara's feet stumbled, dragged and finally she fell to the ground. Boots came to stop in front of her face and blackness took her vision, she felt her consciousness fade. The last she remembered was the bite of the chains at her wrists and ankles.
Loki couldn't believe his ears. His mother had to be playing a trick when she told him that She-Wolf was to be tried for treason before Odin. But a day later, he and his brother were allowed into the throne room for that very reason. The little prince's hands were shaking when the doors to the grand hall opened, so he clasped them tightly behind his back. He didn't want anyone to know just how scared he was.
Twelve soldiers escorted in a chained and obviously livid Kara. Loki's eyes widened when he saw Kara was stripped of her armour, her hands in spell bound cuffs that were thicker than her arms. They were treating his hero like a criminal, his thoughts became resentful. For his father. For the law that had allowed for this.
It came as no surprise she needed so many to guard her and no one doubted that without being restrained...her guards meant nothing.
As she approached the throne, Loki noticed she was stained with blood; hers or her foes, he wasn't sure. Kara presented no signs of injury. Her steps didn't falter and her eyes were focused and trained forward.
He didn't hear what his father said, what accusations were made, because they weren't important. Loki only paid attention to Kara. He only noticed how her eyes glowed with anger, almost shining...like two golden stars. He heard his father sentence her to a horrible punishment, and it took all he had to not cry out in protest. Thor, on the other hand, made his thoughts perfectly clear. But Loki didn't come to his aid this time and Odin harshly rebuked the elder prince. Loki couldn't bring himself to care, he could only watch Kara.
The soldiers that stood around her were nervous. Kara could smell it. They respected their captain. They didn't agree with this trial but there was nothing they could do. Not against the All-Father.
The King had her stripped of her armour in an attempt to make her vulnerable. To scare her. Had her escorted by so many for the same reason.
It only fuelled her resentment.
Kara was paraded through the Great Hall and asked to kneel before the King. She refused. The soldier at her back struck her knee, forcing her to the ground. Kara ignored the pain glancing up the back of her leg and pinned him with her wolf-eyed stare. The soldier paled.
Only when Odin started to speak did she face the throne "You are here today, She-Wolf because you are accused of treason. Do you deny these accusations?"
Kara levelled him with a cold stare "I do not." Those among the court gasped and whispers broke out amongst the people. The King continued "Do you have any defense?"
"I was doing what was right. Upholding the oath I took, to protect the people of the Nine Realms! You ordered innocents slaughtered and I refused." Cries of disbelief rang out from the crowd and Odin silenced them.
"You disobeyed your King and actively sought to defy me. Would you act in such a way again?" He pointed his staff in her direction.
She set her jaw, eyes hard "Absolutely."
"So be it. One hundred years confined to a cage. Fitting of a wayward pup."
Kara fought not to snarl and forced herself to keep her gaze on the king when Prince Thor cried out in her defense. Her heart swelled to hear the boy's attempt to save her. But Kara knew that even the firstborn would not sway the King.
Queen Frigga tried as well, attempting to negotiate a lighter sentence for the woman only doing what she had sworn to do. The King ignored even her and gestured for the She-Wolf to be taken away. A soldier pulled Kara to her feet harshly and she snarled at him, shrugging from his hold. A sharp blow to the back of her head sent her to her hands and knees, blood pouring from the open wound in her hair. Kara's vision swam and she clawed her way to consciousness, looking up to find something to focus on. Her golden eyes found green ones and at the time, she didn't realise that she looked into the frightened eyes of youngest prince. She kept his gaze and only when the soldiers struck her again, did Kara fall into the blackness.
The soldiers dragged her limp form from the hall and down to the dungeons.