Working Title : Loki & Annie

Chapter one

Loki had been brought into the palace in chains and a muzzle thanks to Thor. His anger on Midgard had boiled to a raging fury. He had expected to have the chains and muzzle removed after arriving via Bifrost, he had turned to Thor in expectation of it. However he had been rudely grabbed and drug out to waiting horses, not even his mount but a simple royal nag. His humiliation at being paraded through the streets had burned his cheeks like a fever, the people had been shocked.

Thor had yanked him through the halls, not even allowing him the courtesy of bathing and changing out of his filthy clothes before forcing him to enter in before Odin. Other than a troop of guards there was no one else in the massive throne room. Loki refused to bow or show a shred of respect to this man who had dared to lead him to believe there had ever been blood bonds between them. It was Thor's hand on a shoulder and knee pressing into the back of a thigh that forced him to his knees.

Finally Odin turned an eye to Thor. "Did he fight against returning with you?"

Thor shook his head, "He returned willingly. With no struggle."

Loki twisted his shoulder and head to dislodge Thor's hand from its resting place on the back of his neck. He tried to rise to his feet and Thor stepped on his pant leg to prevent him.

Odin turned his attention back to Loki. He stared while several expressions quickly crossed is face. Finally he spoke. "Loki, your punishment has already been decided. You will be removed to the dungeons until I see fit to decide otherwise." Odin motioned the guards forward.

Thor stepped forward, his confusion obvious on his face. "Father? How long will -"

Loki was no under no such confusion. He had already spent time in Odin's dungeons for various reasons over his youth. He knew that this time it would not be on the first level where maids would be slipped into his privete cell in exchange for coin. He knew what the lower levels were like even if Thor didn't. They had been one of the first forbidden places he had gone when he had perfected his invisibility spells.

Loki rose to his feet in one, long, graceful move. Despite his hands being chained and contained in the binding cuffs, his legs and feet were free. It was a mistake. Loki was swift and moved with cunning ease that the larger guards simply couldn't match. He used it to his favor for as long as he could. He had no false belief that he would win. He simply wanted to strike out. To let his rage and violence free. To pummel something. Someone. To vent his frustration at once more being voiceless. Powerless to be heard in a world where everyone else was listened to. At being weak in a world of Thor's.

He heard Odin's voice, loud, commanding. The power echoing. "Loki! Control yourself!" But if he did not get to speak, then he would not listen either.

He held his own, by the time he was overpowered there were more guards on the floor than standing. Of course it was Thor who finally brought him down with a massive arm wrapped around his throat from behind and choked him until he saw through a dark tunnel. He couldn't pull enough oxygen in through his nose, the muzzle did more than block his words. His mind flashed to other times he had struggled to breathe, the times he had been held under fluids until he had been forced to gasp, taking often times burning liquids into his lungs. The times the Other had crushed his chest until he no longer had the strength to force it to rise and he slowly suffocated.

His fingers desperately scratched at Thor's forearms, he didn't have the strength. Again. Too weak. Finally he gave the signal from their youth when they had wrestled, a tap on the shoulder, an acceptance of defeat. The pressure wavered for just a moment then continued and Loki felt himself slip away into the darkness.

Thor had seen Loki's hand rise and weakly signal surrender. For just a breath he had thought of releasing his brother then thought of all the times he had fallen for Loki's tricks and decided that it was better to continue. Better to be safe than a fool. Once he felt all the fight go out of his brothers body he unclasped his arm and gently let Loki slide to the floor. He watched for and was relieved when he saw the first ragged breath Loki pulled in. There had been the slightest worry that he had gone too far but he should have known better, this was Loki.