Shades of Red

Banished

Author's Note:

This is my first Avengers fanfic. And let me start off by saying, I am in love with Loki. I have been from the beginning, always will be. And no one could play him better than Tom Hiddleston. 3 That out of the way, I've got to let you know that I've done my absolute best to keep every person true to their character, and all the interplay between them is as real and lifelike as possible.

I really hope you enjoy! Leave comments, please, so I can write this story so it sets you on fire with excitement to flip the next chapter! The enjoyment of you lovely people is my number one goal :)

Disclaimer: Loki, the Avengers, every other fantabulous character in this story belongs to Marvel. Now let me bawl my eyes out.

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"Your insolence is abominable." Odin's voice cracked like a rip of thunder across the huge throne room. "You show no remorse, not even the slightest penitence at the gravity of your crimes. Why?"

Loki's cool blue gaze remained locked on the floor, as fixed as the iron binders around his wrists. Yet a soft smile tipped his mouth.

"'Why,'" he repeated. "You raised me, Allfather. You ought to know better than to ask such things."

Odin's heavy brows knit together above his bronze eye patch, and his gray head bowed deep with shadow.

"You're right," he murmured, and if he'd been looking he would've seen Loki's eyes snap up in surprise. But his voice rumbled on, pained and rough. "After all these years, any other father would have expected this from the one who's shamed him and spited him at every turn. I should find no shock at these actions, and I should certainly not look ahead to the future with any hope for his recovery. Yet I was foolish enough to believe in you, my son."

Loki's lips curled back over his teeth. "I'm not your son."

"I know."

Odin's soft words echoed in the great hall for a moment, and silence fell over the room. Then the old man lifted his fingers, signaling to the guards holding Loki's chains.

"Release him."

Neither soldier moved. "Sir?"

"Do as I say."

Loki remained stock-still, no emotion registering on his pale face as the guard stepped forward and unlocked his manacles. The chains fell away with a ringing clatter.

"Loki Laufeyson," Odin proclaimed, his voice cold as the young Frost Giant's glittering blue eyes before him. "I hereby strip you of your title of prince under my name. You are unworthy of this realm, and undeserving of the power at your fingertips."

The room seemed to darken, and the Allfather rose to his feet with grim purpose. Loki stiffened.

"In the name of my father, and his father before," Odin rumbled. "I take from you your sorcery, your magic, and the power you have so abused.

Odin raised his hand. All at once, every particle of Loki's being screamed in agony. He staggered back, a hoarse cry tearing from him as the darkness enveloped him. Splinters of glass and fire tore at his cells; his magic, the very core of his person ripped away from his body. He dropped to one knee, his vision blurring.

"You are banished, son of Laufey, to the realm you hate the most. And your punishment shall be the greatest and most impossible task: you are to rebuild what you have destroyed. You will cut free the lives you have entangled, and you will reassemble the walls of the broken. And until this Prince of Ice takes his dying breath, you will never be king."