Loki shook his head, frowning as he reached to lay his hand on his son's flank. It seemed that the gesture served to calm them both. "I was given a choice to surrender one of my mortal allies for my son. I was told that if I agreed to surrender either Victor Creed or his daughter then my son would be free. If I did not agree to the bargain my son's life was forfeit." His frown tightened, creasing his brow. "I told Victor of the bargain, that I would not leave him to rot in Asgard, and that I would protect his daughter with my life. It was only when I was presented with the bargain did I learn that the consequence for refusing would be the death of my son. I could not allow them to kill my son." His head jerked around when Sleipnir huffed out a breath, only to see the stallion fidgeting slightly with his ears laid back.
"I was led to believe that Victor was the only mortal whom I would surrender and that Sleipnir would be freed of all his magical bonds." Loki continued while Sleipnir remained silent beside him. "It would appear that I was deceived. Clarice was kidnapped by the same means that Heimdall used to collect Victor and clearly, Sleipnir's bonds remain." He motioned toward the bridle. "Odin enchanted this bridle to ensure my son's continued servitude. It tightens if he considers rebelling against Odin or Asgard's royal family...and burns if I try to remove it. My son may no longer be in chains, but he is by no means free."
Sleipnir's head lifted again, crimson eyes turning toward Ororo and Kurt. The delight was now gone from those crimson orbs, the fire faded as they relayed the details of the botched bargain. "To my shame, I allowed myself to believe something that could never have been true." The stallion said in a low rumble. "I was so hungry for freedom that I allowed myself to be manipulated." His eyes briefly fluttered closed and his feet shifted slightly. "All the same, I see now that I will serve my master until my end. It is as my father has always said..." He took a deep breath then huffed before he finished with, "'Freedom is life's great lie.'"
Loki jerked in surprise then swallowed guiltily. He had no words in response to that, it was something he'd said often though never to Sleipnir himself. Although it seemed more true than it had ever been, he found that his own words seemed to mock his son's pain. "I know not if I can truly free you, my son." He finally said tightly, looking up at Sleipnir with pain creasing his brow once more. "But I will try."
Sleipnir merely turned away from him, stepping away from Loki's comforting hand. He needed the distance. He didn't want to become reliant upon something that he soon would no longer have. Loki sighed, recognizing the stallion's actions. He'd seen it centuries earlier after Odin first slipped the bridle over his son's head. He turned back to the two mutants nearby, still frowning. "I am never invited into Asgard. But I will go with you. I must correct the mistakes I've made this day."