The Visit

Trials: Part Two

"This should be fun" Loki thought sarcastically.

The two walked forwards, closer to where the Child-Loki sat in front of the King. As soon as they got there, Loki closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"What is this?" Clint asked.

"You'll see."

Odin looked at the Child-Loki with disappointment written on his face. "What do you think you were doing out there?"

"Father," The Child-Loki said, with pain in his voice, "I was just practicing my magic and-"

"You know that is not what I speak of."

The Child-Loki looked confused. "What else could you speak of?"

"You know I disapprove of your magic studies, but what you did last night was far greater of an offense! Tyr reported to me that he saw you with that...peasant in the lower circle. You have brought disgrace unto this family! Not only a peasant, but an Ergi as well-"

The Child-Loki stood up swiftly. "Don't you dare call him that! He is kind and gentle and the only one who accepts me as I am; I don't care what class he is or what gender he is. I only care that he is the first person to actually show me love! I care not if you hate him! I care not if you disapprove! I only care for him!"

Odin stood slowly with a furious glint in his eye. "If that is what you truly believe then I have no choice but to put an end to it." He nodded to one of the einherjar in the wings. "Bring him forward."

Two doors to the side opened and out came two einherjar towing a boy about the same age as the Child-Loki with them. The boy fought against the einherjar's grip around his wrists. His tunic had been removed which showed the multiple bruises he bore his chest. The Child-Loki tried to run to him but was held back by another einherjar.

Loki's fingers coiled around Clint's. Clint looked at Loki with worry written on his face.

The boy was brought to Odin's feet and forced to kneel before him. "You are charged with treason for defiling a member of the royal family. You shall receive 50 lashes and be drafted into the troops stationed in vanaheim, never to return to Asgard for as long as you shall live."

"NO!" Child-Loki shrieked as he struggled against the einherjar.

One of the einherjar off to the side produced a cat-o'-nine tails and stood behind the defenseless boy. And then he started. The sound rang out through the corridor. Only after 16 lashes did the boy make any sound.

When the sound came out, Present-Day Loki ran over to try and stop the einherjar, only to have his hand go through their bodies. He couldn't do anything to change the past.

The Child-Loki was crying hysterically, begging them to stop. When they finally did, the boy's back was a bloody mess. He picked up by the two einherjar that were restraining him and brought out of the room to the healing halls.

Odin walked over to the Child-Loki, who was crouched on all-fours on the floor. He placed his hand on Child-Loki's back. "It is better this way."

Then, they were gone. The room was empty except for Clint and Loki and the blood stains on the floor.

Clint walked over to Loki who was sitting on the floor, staring at the blood. "Loki..."

"It's my fault. I should have never tried to be with him..."

"You two were happy. It's Odin's fault not yours."

"He died. From this. He got an infection and there was nothing the healers could do."

Clint wrapped his arm around Loki. "I'm sorry... I really am. But do you think he would want you to feel like this. Nah. He'd want you to show them that you were right. That it's okay to love, whoever they may be. He would want you to succeed. He would want you to get out of here so you can have that life you wanted."

Loki lifted his head and nodded. With a new sense of determination he searched the room for anything that might help them get out. All the doors were locked and the only thing left were the columns and the pool of blood. He was confused until he remembered something.

To see his love, they would use the secret passageways in the palace, most of whose entrances were in...

"The columns," Loki said out loud. He walked over to the nearest column and felt around for any notch or crack that might signal an entrance. At last, he found an indentation in the stone. He pressed it and the column came apart to reveal a hidden spiral staircase underneath. Loki turned to Clint.

"Shall we?"