The Serpent and the Dove: a Loki Fan Fiction

Chapter 9

"Loki," continued Odin. "What say you in your defense?"

Loki met his gaze with Odin's once more. "What have I to say in my defense? Your accusations stand true, with witnesses to attest; if you wish to punish me, then don't keep me waiting," he growled.

Odin sighed quietly and stood. "Loki Laufeyson, I,  Odin Allfather, sentence you as a criminal to the punishment of-"

"I have an objection!" 

The court was broken up by gasps and every eye in the room turned on Jessica who stood alone in the crowd. "I have an objection, Odin, King of Asgard."

Odin set his brows. "An objection? From the representative of Midgard?" he asked.

"Yes, Allfather."

"Speak your piece."

She swallowed hard and steadied her nerves. "Loki's attack on Earth was not of his own accord."

"What are you saying, Lady Jessica?" asked a voice in the court.

"I'm saying Loki was cursed to do what he did, not overcome with the idea. He did not willingly go to the Chitauri; he was enslaved by them."

"He had the Chitauri following him!"

She looked around at the other court members. "He was used for his powers so the Chitauri could destroy humanity and obtain the Tesseract."

"And what makes you so adamant about this?" asked Odin calmly.

Jessica pointed at the accused. "Look at Loki's eyes."

"His eyes are blue, as they have always been; what of them?" 

"Loki's eyes didn't look like that on Earth before the attack. They were electric; they almost glowed," she said.

"Glowed...?" murmured a handful of men in the crowd. 

"Other people possessed by the Tesseract's power had eyes the same color, meaning that they weren't the only ones corrupted; the Chitauri corrupted Loki first." 

The court murmured among each other, clearly shocked at the revelation.

Odin suppressed an expression of shock. "Do you have any witnesses to this?"

"I am a witness, Father," said Thor. "Eric Selvig, my friend, had the same glowing blue eyes when he was corrupted, as did another friend, Clint Barton. I suppose I hadn't noticed, but Loki's eyes looked just the same."

"What of his other crimes, then?" asked Odin as he turned back to Jessica. "If he was possessed to do the things he did to Earth, what about Jotunheim and Asgard?"

"I'm not advocating for his other crimes. He's done horrible things with his power, some things that have hurt me personally," she said, leveling her gaze firmly on him. "He deserves punishment, however, Thor was able to come back from his punishment in exile as a humbled prince who now knows how and when to exercise his power. 

The court sat in stunned silence. Had they certainly allowed Thor, reckless as he was, to come back from exile without bitter feelings or gnashing of teeth, only to meet Loki, raised beside Thor as a brother, with the opposite? Did that mean they must scrutinize Thor as well? After all, Thor had technically started the war with Jotunheim, which caused Loki's action; he had won a spar with Loki that threw him into the Abyss where he was consumed by the Chitauri. What would this mean for the Throne of Asgard?

Odin finally broke the silence. "Loki, is what has been said true? That you were, in fact, enslaved by the Chitauri and their curse to do what you did?"

He nodded vigorously, briefly making eye contact with Jessica.

The King turned back to the court. "The court is deliberated to discuss the verdict; send word when you are all ready to return. Loki will be held in the dungeon until his sentence is decided."

The following morning, the court returned and Jessica was seated beside Thor, waiting anxiously for the final verdict. Loki was led into the room, and he stared blankly ahead of him, refusing to make eye contact with anyone. He looked even more defeated than the day before.

A man stood up from the court and came to Odin's seat.

"Thakir," said Odin. "What has the court decided should be done with the prisoner?"

Thakir cleared his throat. "By a vote of seven against six, Loki is found guilty of his crimes," he said."

"And has the court decided a proper punishment?"

The man was quiet as he read the parchment in his hand. "Indeed, my King. The Court, by a vote of eight against four, has decided that Loki's punishment may be forfeited by means of redemption. If his actions aren't fully his own, he shall not be given a life sentence, but instead, be released to be rehabilitated as a functioning member of Asgard's society."

Odin seemed irked by the verdict. "Is this the court's final answer?"

"Yes, Allfather." 

He shifted his attention onto Loki, who was now staring in near disbelief at him. "Then I, Odin Allfather, hereby declare you, Loki Laufeyson, pardoned of your crimes." His eye rolled over to Jessica who also had an expression of disbelief. "In the means of redeeming you, Lady Jessica will be assigned to rehabilitate you, and once again restore your good name in the eyes of the realm. Does the court agree with these terms?"

A resounding, "Yes."

"And if he is not successfully redeemed, does the court agree that Loki should be met with the severest of punishments, up to and including death...?" Odin's icy eye narrowed on Loki, carrying a gut-wrenching gravity. 

A resounding, "Yes."

"Then I proclaim this court dismissed." Odin banged his scepter on the floor, sending a shudder through the room before it erupted once more in conversation.

Through the mass of people in the court, Jessica and Loki's eyes locked, both of them confused and horrified.

They were to be stuck together...