Loki grunted as a guard pried the muzzle off his face, and he turned his eyes upon Odin in silent defiance. There was angry rattle in his breath, but he stood stock still.
The court rose to their feet until Odin gave the command for all to be seated. He leveled his gaze with Loki's and took a breath. "You stand before the court of Asgard, to be tried as a war criminal." he declared. "Loki, son of Laufey, you have, unprovoked, attacked Jotunheim and its people, have caused destruction on Earth with the aid of the Chitauri, and have fraudulently claimed the Throne of Asgard in my slumber. Does the court have any objections to these claims?"
A resounding, "No" echoed on the smooth walls of the Throne Room.
"What says the court in favour, or against, the accused?"
One of the court members stood. "Loki's action against Jotunheim was not without provoke," he said. "He attacked in a time of war; Jotuns invaded Asgard, and tried to kill you, Allfather Odin, in your slumber. Loki rose up and killed the invading Laufey and made a counter attack."
"However," said another court member. "Loki unleashed his anger on an entire people instead of those who were invading as he rightfully should have. It was their burden to carry, not the women and children in their homes with their hands clean of such atrocities."
Jessica glanced back at Odin, who seemed to heed the debates of the court.
Thor stood among the court. "Loki's succession of the throne, while out of place, was in my absence and your unavailability, Father," he said.
"My son-"
"But," barked another member of the court. "He did try to kill you with the Destroyer while you were on Earth, did he not?"
Thor looked unsteady. "It is my quarrel with him that he did so, not that of the court."
"Attempted murder of the royal heir is treason, and should be dealt with as such!"
The court erupted into arguments and sharp words until Odin stood from his seat. "Order, ORDER!" he bellowed. "Attempted murder of the royal heir is, indeed, treason, but the punishment for such actions is to be decided by the victim of said crime, unless he is killed, in which case his closest kin shall decide the punishment." He turned to Thor. "If you wish to seek out your own punishment on Loki, you are at liberty to do so at your own digression." Odin returned his focus to the rest of the court. "Carry on; is there anything else that must be said of Loki?"
Jessica quietly watched the crowd, and then looked at Loki, who solemnly held his gaze on Odin's feet as he spoke. This didn't look like the same Loki that attacked Earth, who had killed all those people. What had happened to him? Briefly, his eyes shifted to look at her.
"What'll I do without you?" Loki's blue-gray eyes glinted with hurt.
Jessica could hardly muster the courage to look over her shoulder at him. Hearing the pain in his voice, she couldn't bear to see it reflected on his face, too. "You'll be fine without me, Loki. You were even before I arrived in Asgard," she said, trying to chuckle to lighten her tone.
He grasped her wrist in his hand to keep her there. "Perhaps so, but... You're my best friend. I've never felt as valued by anyone else as I have by you."
She turned back to him and pulled him into a hug, feeling him bury his face in her shoulder. "I still care about you. But this is something I need to do." He pulled back to see her face again and she grinned, however sadly. "I will always be your friend, where ever I choose to go. And should you ever need me, call me back; I'll always be at your aid."
"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...