Kaleidoscope

A/N: Self-indulgent? Is this a word? Sorry, I don’t know English well.

~ XVI ~

~o~0~o~

“Loki Laufeyson.”

Loki stared in front of himself blindly, not reacting. He was standing still if front of various audiences, small and defeated. Heavy chains cuffed his wrists but at least he would be able to speak, no muzzle.

The Avengers shifted a little, not really liking to be here. Some holy godly business was up and no matter that they were the best on Earth – hereand now they felt like Loki called them before. Ants. They still were somewhat awed by all scene – three women were ethereal and ‘impossible’. Gods kneeled to them. These women decided fates. How crazy was it?

And the thought that fucking Loki was under their judgment now, still made them swallow with a small amount of pity. Loki was a dead man. Or if the look of fear and horror on the Aesir ’ faces was any indicator – death would be a mercy.

Thor was standing near his father Odin, seething. He still could not believe Loki tricked him again. So many times his brother cheated death that the Norns came to take him. And even if he was angry with Loki, he was scared – terrified - as well.

For The Three of the Norns will judge his brother now.

Odin AllFather stood straight and unflinching. Last time he brought judgment in this hall was when condemning Loki to eternal imprisonment. Many things happened since. His long lost boy was not his responsibility anymore. He would not help him now when his lies and monstrous deeds caught the eyes of those even Odin himself would not dare to step up. Not for Loki. If Frigga were here… But it didn’t matter now. There was no one to help Loki. Neither will Thor, if he so wished.

One of the Norns – Sculd – turned elegantly to Loki and waved her hand. Cries of shock and outrage and hate filled the throne room. Some spit in disgust. Because Sculd’s move instantly pulled away Loki’s glamour that made him look like Aesir, revealing his Jotun form along with deep blue skin, silver marking visible on his face and neck and red eyes. No more Loki of Asgard. Now there stood a monster Frost Giant, abomination and dirt beneath everyone’s feet.

And there went the first reaction from Loki. When the color reached his face, Loki’s lips trembled right before he forced his jaw to clench. Crimson eyes gone bright with unshed tears, looking down, when people started to shout and curse him. Breathing hitched and became labored no matter how much Loki tried to steady it.

Loki stood rigidly and took the hate of the very people he spend his whole life side by side, silently. In his pain and humiliation, he did not dare to make a sound.

The Avengers stared. Quickly looking at Thor, they saw the Thunder God closing his eyes and half-turning as if not wishing to see Loki.

“Curious. Testing. Needing to see the truth no matter the personal cost.”

“Mischievous. Cunning. Troublemaker.”

“Always let down. Been lying to by everyone.”

“Spiteful. Jealous. Mad.”

“Alone. Suffering. Broken.”

“Loving. Caring. Ready to help.”

“Unseen. Unloved. Unwanted.”

“Abandoned. Left to die. Used.”

“Sad. Pretending. With a small pained smile on thy lips.”

“Lying. Manipulative. Wicked. Cruel.”

“Freak. Monster. Unnatural.”

Loki was biting his lip with such a force it started bleeding. His hands were strung tight around white knuckles. He was trembling. The flood of words was killing him inside. He was called all those things indifferent, cold, not-caring. No one cared indeed that he was dying inside with each hurtful (truthful) word. And everyone saw it.

“Met with hatred.”

“No kind word.”

“No compassion.”

“No companionship.”

“Rejected.”

“Unaided.”

“A rightful king of Asgard. Betrayed.”

At this, Loki’s head jerked as if slapped. Like he recognized the words. Of course, those were his words.

“Being with the heart broken from the start.”

“Cracked.”

“Learned to hide the pain.”

“A brother. A son. A father.” 

“The most deserving to be happy.”

That was met with absolute silence. The only sound was how knees hit the hard ground, when Loki’s legs could hold him no longer. It was too much. Too much.

So it was beyond his imagination to find himself embraced by the Three Norns, still on his knees. Loki blinked away tears when indeed three beautiful women were kneeling right beside him. Like… equals.

“Loki.”

A fallen god could only cry harder when Verdandi left him in his pale skin – no more blue.

“Loki.”

Sculd touched the metal and all shackles fell on the floor and then vanished. Loki could only put his weak limbs in his lap not understanding anything anymore.

“Loki.”

Urd leaned closer to him and caressed his cheek, gathering tears there. In the next moment Loki’s garb replaced it with his own armor down with a cape but the difference was that it was now gold – the same as the Norn’s. But Loki’s attention was on his vembraces – and the engraving there. Fenrir’s head, Jormungandr’s shape and Hela’s symbol along with his own that of an eternal snake.

No one seemed to even breathe. What were the Norns doing? Set the monster and criminal free? Was Loki worthy? Impossible.

“Loki. We ask you to honor us with your presence beside us on the branches of Yggdrasil.”

“We ask you to join us in the matters that concern fate.”

“We want you.”

Loki’s tears did not stop flowing. He looked bewildered and frightened but at the same time at peace. Even if they lied to him, it was alright. He will die at least lolled by caring words for a change. Cared for, as he never did by anyone. Asked for, as if he mattered. Everything else was fading for the feeling of warmth in the place of constant unforgiving cold inside his chest.

He was not cold anymore.