Her face was contorted and begging, but no sound came from her lips. Gone, her tongue had been severed from her mouth.
She wanted to scream, beg, plead…where was Loki?
Could he help her?
Her ties were loosened, the dwarfish creatures seemed to be following some sort of order, and they left.
She tried to cry…her eyes freeing her pain from her person. She rolled to her side and whimpered.
How, how did he get herself into this mess?
Her mouth filled with blood…it tasted like rust, and she felt nausea overtake her.
She spit it out onto the frigid floor, shaking. She would get an infection, and then what? Such a dire wound…it would need to be bound somehow.
Jane ripped her sleeve off and began to stuff it into her mouth.
She looked around her…
There was a glass door. No other egress presented.
Oh, god. This is what she gets for falling victim to the charms of a miscreant.
Loki watched in abject horror at the scene.
"Allow me to go to her," he told the guard.
The thing smirked, and moved aside.
Loki made his way down to the chambers below, obvious in their design for torture.
The room Jane was in had a large glass door, and Loki stopped outside of it.
She looked up at him, her face indecipherable.
"Well, Jane. That's one way to silence you."
She glared at him and her middle finger rose in defiance.
"Now, now. That sort of thing is below you," he paused, and sat down on the floor in front of the door. "This is a turn, is it not? You, imprisoned, I, your means of escape…?" he smiled. No good. And of course, why would it be? She was clearly in agony. He sighed. He began to examine the glass with his fingers. Could his magic penetrate it?
He stood now…and he pulsed the green light through the encasement.
Jane felt her mouth prickle, and her tongue began to heal…
She let out a moan…it was sore, but restored.
Her hand was at her mouth.
"Better?" he asked.
She nodded. "Can you get me out?"
"That, Jane Foster, is something that we will need to see about…Thanos is here…he is unhappy, and the magic here is great."
"What the fuck, Loki? What do you mean? I'm here, to be a sacrificial lamb?"
Though he laughed a touch, his eyes were filled with something akin to worry.
And then, a loud noise sounded, and a door at the far end of the hall opened. Thanos.
"She is a lovely creature…pity to have her mutilated, wouldn't it, Prince Loki?"
Loki's eyes closed in agitation.
"So…you've given her back her voice?" inquired Thanos, approaching the cell. "Your magic always was something to be reckoned with."
Loki turned toward him. "She has able language. It would be a shame to deny the mortals one of the few capable of intelligent expression."
"How precious. Jane Foster, Loki admires your linguistic abilities. I wonder…does Thor?" he sneered.
Jane decided to hold her tongue, not least for fear of losing it once more.
"What other traits do you admire of hers, I wonder?"
Loki remained silent.
Thanos laughed once more. His hand extended out…
And the floor of the cell began to puddle with water. Jane stood, watching the water fill the floor.
"Have you thought about our discussion while you were restoring the mortal's able tongue…? Curious…it makes one wonder just how able her tongue truly is…"
"You are crude, Thanos," Loki said in disgust.
"Oh…come now…you are virile, Loki…the cosmos sings of your conquests…surely the thought has crossed your massive mind…"
"Ummm…." Jane was heard muttering. The water now reached her knees. "Hello…?"
"The mortal desires your attention."
"I care not," Loki wasn't looking at her.
"She does," replied Thanos.
"Thanos…I am not about to invade Midgard. You will need to think of another manner of fulfilling our agreement."
"You shall, or she dies."
Loki sighed. Just kill Thanos and leave. He had his magic in full and working order…more powerful now than ever, really.
He knew the game Thanos was playing at. If he continued to show anything in terms of concern for Jane, he would continue to use her against him. He thought that, perhaps, if she suffered slightly…Thanos would release her, thinking her useless, and then, Loki could exact his revenge. It would be too dangerous to simply attempt to free her or to try and kill him while she was still imprisoned under Thanos's magic.
"Fine," Loki said.
"Fine?" Thanos replied, the water now reached her neck.
"Yes…do you think that I care if Thor's mortal love dies or not?"
Jane couldn't hear what was being said now, the rush of icy water the only sound filling her ears. She was buoyant in the cell, and she was treading water…dangerous water…she recalled that she had thought of that adage not so long ago in Asgard's library…and now, it had materialized literally.
Thanos laughed once more. "Oh, Loki…you forget…I know that you are known as the lie smith…"
"Think what you like," and Loki turned and walked away.
The water now filled the entire cell, and Jane couldn't hold her breath much longer.
Thanos looked at her. His eyes squinted. The water disappeared, and Jane fell some ten feet, crashing to the floor and hurting her ankle.
He approached the glass. "What are you?"
Jane glared at him, and rubbed her twisted ankle.
"Answer me."
"No."
"You shall answer me, or you will suffer my wrath."
Jane's eyebrows rose in smock surprise, but no answer emerged.
Thanos's hand rose, and pain pierced her head…she screamed…it was like a migraine, only a hundred times worse…she felt like her brain was bleeding within.
"What are you Jane Foster?"
The pain ebbed, and Thanos waited expectantly for an answer.
Jane shook…she could feel blood on her neck. Her hand rose to touch where the blood was…it came from her ear…she was bleeding from her ear canal. That was most assuredly not good.
She glared at Thanos. "What do you mean? What am I? I'm a fucking person, you freak. I'm a fucking human being. What the fuck are YOU?!"
He laughed. "There are no words to describe what I am."
"I bet I can think of a few choice words…" Jane muttered.
He came closer…and suddenly, he was in the cell with her.
Jane scooted away, her ankle unable to withstand her weight just yet.
"Is that so…just how close are you with Loki? With Thor?"
She folded her arms against herself in defiance. "None of your business."
"Oh, but it is…"
"No. It really isn't. And I don't care what you do to me. I honestly don't care. You can kill me. Whatever."
He laughed, and suddenly Jane was chained to the floor once more.
Shit. She had meant to bind her ankle.
Thanos stood over her with a look in his eyes that made her tremble.
"You shall care, Jane Foster…"
Jane swallowed…was he going to rape her? She had been attacked once before, but escaped, back in college. She recalled how her mind had shut down…time slowed…and only when an opportunity elude her attacker did she regain herself.
No such luck tied to the floor in a locked cell.
Fucking Loki. He abandoned her…
But Thanos turned and left, laughing a touch.
And Loki stood in the higher chamber, watching what transpired, willing himself ability to hear their conversation. He marveled at her stupidity, at her silly gumption and bravery.
"She is adorably foolish and rash, Prince. I see why you like her," Thanos said as he passed Loki on his way out of the dungeons.
Loki sighed. He rubbed his face. He should've killed her on the way to Jutenheim. Spared himself and her the situation they now faced.
He concentrated on the cell below.
Jane.
Her head shot up. "What? Loki?"
Hush. I'm speaking to your mind…no one but you can hear me.
Great. How was she supposed to answer him? This was weird.
It isn't weird…as you so delicately put. It's incredibly efficient. Simply think your words…and I shall hear them.
Oh…Ok. You know, you are an asshole. You left me here, after I got you out!
I didn't leave you…I'm watching everything from the above chamber…now listen well. You may need to withstand some…unpleasantness…I'll not let anything terribly dire happen…but in order to get you out, I need to convince Thanos that I don't care what happens to you.
Aren't you a sorcerer?
Very good, Jane. You have been paying attention.
Well…can't you just…you know…use your magic?
Getting you out with my magic wouldn't solve anything. Thanos would track you down in his ire.
So…I need to be tortured, you need to ignore it, and then I'll be released?"
Never let it be said that you aren't a quick study.
That seems pretty dumb.
It's the only reasonable means of getting out of this.
Right. And what happens then? To You?
It doesn't matter…I am quite capable of handling the situation.
I know…but what are you going to do?
Answering that question was never part of our understanding.
No…do you care, Loki?
Care?
About me? You're trying to convince Thanos that you don't…that suggests that you do.
I care because you kept your word. Not many can boast an honest heart.
Yeah. Ok. Are you going to just…stay in my thoughts…? I'm starting to feel violated.
No…I'm going to speak with Thanos now….your mind is now your own…but be on alert. Do not act rashly if I do this again…it will create suspicion.
Right.
And he was gone.
And Jane was alone, tied to the floor.
Her attraction to him left her hollow and tingling. She couldn't deny it any longer. It was ridiculous in the extreme. He was the worst sort of person, and yet…there was something about him which was undeniably fascinating. His magic, his wit, his intelligence…all embodied a cocktail of enticement.
It was pathetic, Jane decided. He had no interest in her…whether as a friend or something….more…?
She did, however, desire to be his friend at least…at the very least…and she knew he'd laugh. But she could withstand that much. He had laughed at her repeatedly, and she always shot back. She enjoyed their banter.
It was invigorating, and she fancied that he thought so, too.
So different from Thor.
She wondered what he was going to do.
Thanos wanted him for some nefarious purpose, she was sure of it.
She didn't get him out of that cell in Asgard just to see him killed at the hands of a lunatic.
Jane should devise her own plan…at least, within reason.
And Loki made his way to Thanos, the rogue. Such a tiresome action. He dreaded the foolish repartee; the thing thought himself witty and wise.
He was ridiculous and dull.
And he smirked at the conversation that he enjoyed with Jane…
He stopped himself.
He enjoyed with Jane?
Nonsense. Utter nonsense.
Get the mortal out of her predicament, and kill Thanos. That was all he needed to do