Chapter 5 –All a game of deception

"-you too" the words escaped his physical lips and were swiftly followed by a groan as he felt himself being thrown against the wall – a hand gripping his throat tightly. "Oh hell brother, how lovely to see you again" he smirked, swallowing dryly as he was faced with Thor.

"Do not smile at me, Loki. You have gone too far this time" Thor remained with a serious exterior, looking angered but hurt by all he had been told of.

"Have I ever been known to do things lightly? Perhaps if you had been less dedicated to those Avengers – you wouldn't have left the stupid woman alone for so long" Loki rolled his eyes "this would be so much easier if you let go of me – as much as I'm sure this does wondrous things for you". He gasped as Thor threw him back against the wall again but finally released his grasp upon him. Loki ran his hand over his throat and watched as his brother paced the cell.

"Why would you do this? You could have just kept the throne and deceived us all – why did you need to involve Jane in any of this?"

"That was too simple, too much satisfaction and I am not one to revel in satisfaction" he muttered, watching his every move. "Your mortal intrigued me; her fire seemed to be more than appealing to toy with".

"So it was all just a game for you?" Thor glanced over to him, seeming slightly relieved by that addition but still concerned.

"Of course – you didn't honestly think I would feel something for that ignorant woman, did you?" Loki stood up and strolled over to Thor "She was easy prey, I was bored of pretending to be that old fool – "

"Take caution when you speak of my father, Loki!"

Loki raised his hands "very well – I seeked some extra excitement and she was only too easy to influence. At first I moved to destroy her but then found it to be far more enjoyable to break her – to wrap her around my every need until she was incapable of being without me".

"Why? What satisfaction could you find in that?"

"Have I not just told you that I don't revel in satisfaction? Brother, I almost feel you're not listening to me" he smirked "but it was just for fun really, perhaps it would have forced you to see the error in your own choices. After all, you are the one who dismissed the throne to be with a mortal – something I am yet to understand".

"So it was all deception on your part and Jane wasn't aware of it?"

Loki kept his back to Thor and thought for a moment, the inner voice spoke out – saying how it wasn't a lie and that it meant something; that she had just confessed her actual love for him. Yet, as he thought about it – he knew this was the only way he could do the right thing for once in his existence. He turned back to him and grinned "I used many illusions to get what I wanted from her, it was all my own doing and Jane was simply a puppet in the play". He knew that if Thor believed this that he could somehow save Jane.

"They told me she was willingly assisting you" he seemed confused but relieved.

"They would tell you anything to help with this new level of punishment – what they lack in knowledge is that I won't be effected by her death, not in the slightest".

"Her death?"

"Ah – they have yet to pass that information on to you. Your father has deemed it fit to sacrifice your one true love as a way of punishing me" Loki pursed his lips "it is the craziest movement from Odin, to date. I fear he's truly losing his mind but I won't speak poorly of your father, I know you are so utterly fond of him".

Thor stood there; almost trying to calculate everything he had been told "I have to see Jane".

"I believe she is being held in the cells which have not been used in many decades – the ones we used to venture to as children" Loki shrugged slightly, acting as though he wasn't certain of that fact. "I don't think it would be wise to visit her – you wouldn't want to be caught defying your father again…would you?"

"Stop! I'll do as I please and I'll ensure that Jane is returned home – and kept as far from your grasps as possible".

"Oh damn, I was so looking forward to seeing her die" he smirked and moved back to his bed, watching Thor leave for the other dungeons – hoping Jane would follow his plan and get herself out of this trouble.

Jane was still sat on the floor when she heard footsteps coming from the stairs. She remained in her position until Thor appeared at the front of her cell "Thor – " she moved to the gate and reached out, sighing in relief as she felt his skin against her hand.

"Step back, Lady Jane" he pulled the Mjölnir from his side and waited for her to move before he struck the lock. He pulled the gate open and stepped inside, moving to hold her instantly. "I'm sorry; I should never have left you so helpless with my Loki capable of reaching you".

Jane allowed him to hold her but pulled back at the mention of Loki, seeming confused by how he worded things. She did wonder if this was Lokis doing, that perhaps he was trying to save her by taking the complete blame for everything. That seemed to be a possibility but not one that she felt happy accepting – not when she had been so willing to go with him. "You don't owe me any apology, Thor. I owe you the apology – I've been caught up in wanting to know more about Loki, I didn't even think about how this could effect everyone". She glanced up to him and sighed "I came across him and had every chance to stay away from him but I didn't want to – he intrigued me".

"That's the same thing he said about you…but it was a trick, you know that".

"No, I think he's claiming trickery now but he wasn't putting me under a spell" she stepped back a little but not too far, she just didn't feel right remaining in an embrace with the man she had been lying to. "I was happy to explore things with him, happy to take adventures and keep his secrets. I felt some connection to him and I'm sorry for that, I really am".

"Connection? Jane, you're confused and tired – you need to think more logically about this. Loki is not a friend of yours, he longs to watch you die" Thor rested his hand upon her cheek and sighed "I am going to make sure that doesn't happen".

"Die? That's not true, he cares for me but he won't show it if it means that I will be released without any connection to what he has done". Jane was trying to convince herself as well as Thor – surely this was all false, Loki had practically admitted loving her just a moment earlier.

"You don't need to worry about dying, I'm going to ensure your return to Midgard and Loki will pay for all he has done".

"No! I will face the same judgement as he will – I have been deceiving you and everyone else" she insisted but all Thor could do was hold her closer, hushing her to stop being so foolish. "I love him!"

This was enough to force Thors hold on her to cease, forcing him to step back a little "which is all a part of his trickery".

"No, it isn't. I thought I loved you and I do on some levels but I'm in love with Loki, it's not something anyone can force on me – I've never felt this strongly about anything or anyone". Jane hated to say this to Thor, she never wanted to hurt him but she couldn't deny her true feelings. "I really love him and I'm not going to pretend I wasn't a part of his deception – if he is to be trialled then so am I".

Thor opened his mouth to speak but a new voice boomed from behind.

"Son, you needn't waste more time with this one" Odin stepped into the cell and placed a comforting hand upon his shoulder. "Surely you've heard enough to know this has to be dealt with" he glanced to Jane "you will speak no more to my son, you are no different to Loki – and will definitely receive punishment along with him".

Jane glanced down as Odin walked Thor back out of the cell, she couldn't stop the tears as they escaped again. This was becoming more heart breaking than she ever thought it would. Was she wicked? Was she the true evil behind all of this? Had she ruined a brothers bond just to satisfy her own curiosity?

She didn't have much time to dwell on that before the guards took hold of her, being ordered to escort her to Odin – where she would face her punishment, something she wouldn't fight.