Loki's Interrogation: part 1

Thor stood next to him, just staring ahead. He was going to be dragged before the All-father Odin, and... who knew? Loki wasn't going to show any weakness, but the muzzle did prevent him from saying much in the first place. The door creaked before him and entered Sif and the Warriors Three.

" Oh, look, Fandral! It's the mighty Loki!" Volstagg teased. " Looks like they managed to cut that silver tongue, eh?" He pushed Loki's shoulder in a non-playful way.

Loki glared at him, but Thor could see that Loki had tensed when Volstagg had reached out. Thor gently moved his hand to Loki's neck, in what looked like an attempt to keep him in check, but he really just gave Loki a reassuring touch. Thor noticed the hidden glance that Loki had shot him, and the look of confusion in those green eyes made Thor realize that Loki was truly terrified of the judgement that he was about to get.

" It's time, Thor. We need to bring Loki to the All-Father." Sif said, motioning for them all to follow her.

Loki was pulled forward by a chain that Thor held. He made a muffled noise of protest, but the muzzle didn't allow much of the sound to escape, and Loki was somewhat thankful for that. His chains hand been tightened and shortened when he had returned to Asgard, Heimdall took much pleasure in seeing this done. Loki was embarrassed, he had always been a prince in some capacity, now... he had doubts that the would even be allowed to live through to see the next morning.

The moment he walked into the throne room of Odin, a ball of lead seemed to have dropped into Loki's stomach. He felt a twinge of remorse for his father, but all his guilt and resentment came out when he saw Frigga. It was obvious that she had been crying, and the second that she saw Loki her hand went to her mouth and then pinched the bridge of her nose. She thought that I was dead, Loki thought.  

Odin stood and clacked his spear against the stone work of the throne room. " Loki!" His voice boomed across the room. " Step forward and face your punishment."

Loki gulped and went to stand before Odin, at the bottom of the steps that lead to where he stood. Odin looked down at his "son", and felt something that he had expected but had hoped not for. He understood why Loki did all he did. Not that Loki was correct in his mode of action, but for what he had dealt with, what he had been forced to undertake was something that Loki had tried to postpone for as long as he could. He had used Loki and stolen the boy's chance at personal equilibrium. The light that had always been in Loki's eyes had died down to such a faint ember it was concerning, and Odin understood that if he issue Loki to death or something close to it, Loki wasn't going to fight. He was done pushing and trying to push himself, Loki no longer had the heart for it and Odin knew that if he hadn't let Loki drop of the Bifrost, none of this would have happened.

Thor read the list of charges as Frigga started to cry. Sif went to comfort her. Loki watched his mother, and felt his heart start to ache. The charges were effecting him more then he had wished, the list of the dead was something that Loki had not expected.

" Loki, do you accept these claims?" Odin asked.

" Yes," is what Loki tried to say, but it came out as " Yef."

Odin winced at the sound, because Loki had always had such a handsome voice. That contraption was marring it. " Thor, remove that devilish device from him."

" I can't, Father. My comrade, Iron Man, designed it and he alone can remove it. I believe he has a certain... pass code for it."

Within a few hours, the entire Avengers team had been assembled and Iron Man was working at removing the muzzle. " There we go. Good as new." He gave Loki a smack on the back.

Thor gently pulled it away from Loki's mouth, and could see that his brother had been biting his lip throughout the trial, it was slightly redder then normal with a fair sized gash across the lower lip. " Oh, Loki... what have you been thinking of?" Loki turned away, just because the muzzle had been removed didn't mean that he had to talk to people. " Alright then, let's return."

Odin resumed the trial, " You admitted to what you are accused of. Now for your punishment. Loki, understand that I do not wish to cause you more pain then you have already endured... however you must have a punishment fit for your crimes."

Loki nodded, but all around him could see that he was on the verge of tears. " I will accept whatever punishment I will be given."

Oh, Loki, why must I do this to you? Odin thought. " For your crimes you are to be chained to the rocks where the serpent lives. His venom will drip onto, burning you as it drips down over your body, you will be freed when I see that you have truly changed." Even as Odin spoke those words, he save Loki's minuscule hope of forgiveness crumble in his one eyed gaze.

Loki's hands started to shake and his lower lip quivered. Thor laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, and even through the armour that Loki wore, he could feel the tremors of his fears move through his body. " Come now, Loki... it will be okay. It will be okay." He whispered to Loki. Loki walked out of the throne room and as soon as the door had closed Loki broke wide open. Tears poured down his face as he sank to the floor. " Loki, Loki." Thor pulled Loki to his feet and held him against him, " I know, ssh ssh. You'll be okay."

Loki looked up at him, " I can't fight any more, Thor. I don't have that in me anymore. I can't survive this punishment, I feel it. Allow me... please, just allow me to write mother a letter. Let me tell her I'm sorry."

" I would, my brother, but I don't think that I can allow you to do that. I'm sorry." Thor said as Loki nodded in understanding.