The Phantom Hunt (Ryker x Reader)

Imprisonment

Hours had passed as you sat in your cell, still trying to make sense of what just happened to you. Your head was pounding and you tried to prepare yourself to what you were going to say to this man that threw you into this awful smelling and freezing cell. Your words had to convince him that you were speaking the truth to him.

You were left alone in your cell through the entire night and it left you to think hard about the things you wanted to say to him. You still didn't know his name, but you were determined to get it this time.

You heard snoring coming from the chamber where that guy went to when he questioned you. He sure would be comfy in a warm bed, have food and water. You would do anything at this point to even have a warm blanket to cover yourself right now. The environment the captain ordered to be sailing to was getting colder and colder over the last few hours.

"Alright, let's put it in this cell. Easy now." You heard a Hunter speak up to some other men as they brought Jaynu in. You shot up to take a look at him and you could see that he was still under the effects of the stuff that was on the arrow. "Jaynu!" You called out to him. He looked into your direction and sure was happy that you were alright, but he was poked with spears as he was forced into another cell.

"You better get that muzzle off him!" You demanded these Hunters to let him have his mouth free so that he could eat and drink. "Shut your big mouth." A Hunter called out to you and pushed Jaynu further into his cell, closing the doors with a loud thud. They left the area, but not before they bashed their weapons into the bars of the cell doors.

You held on to the cell bars and looked at how Jaynu was doing. You could just see him just enough to see his head. "You okay, buddy?" You whispered over to him. He just gave a small, sad purr and his eyes were filled with sadness and fear. "I know, buddy. We'll get out of here sooner or later. I do not wish to stay here for much longer." You told him.

The night went by slowly and you weren't able to sleep at all. Large bags had formed under your eyes and you just couldn't focus yourself to too much right now. You were daydreaming when you were pulled out of them.

"Ready to talk?" You heard the bald man's voice speak up to you with annoyance hearable in it. "I have told you the truth already. I don't know anything about these so called Riders. I am not from around here. Jaynu and I came across these lands only a few days ago and we thought it would be worth it to explore it. Shame you and your men had to ruin it for us." You fired your annoyance back at him.

"You better watch your mouth, young lady." He warned you. "You're not my father, so don't talk to me like that." You fired back at him once again. "Why do you keep my dragon muzzled? He's not doing anything, but you are preventing him from being able to eat or drink!" You protested to this man.

 "Do you know what firepower your dragon possesses? One blast of it and it can send my ship sinking to the bottom of the ocean. No, I will not remove it. About him eating and drinking, my men are trained with the skill to feed and water any beast that's in here when it's muzzled. He will have his needs provided." The man explained to you.

"And what is your name? You didn't tell me your name since you are keeping me here imprisoned." You tried to keep this man talking in an attempt to make him feel bad and let him see that you meant what you keep trying to tell him.

"Oh, well. You didn't tell me yours either." He played the game with you, firing your question back at you. You stepped back a little before you answered. "My name is [y/n]. Now tell me yours." You hissed in anger at him. "I am Ryker. For as long as you don't give me the answers I am after, you will be my prisoner." He folded his arms and didn't look too interested at you.

"What are you going to do with me?" You asked him worried. "Like I said, if you don't give me answers, then you will remain on this ship as my prisoner. Like it or not." He replied to you. "If you keep refusing to believe what I'm telling you, then I won't talk at all." You retorted to him, turned your back to him and sat down with your arms folded.

"Very well." He said to you, then turned his attention to a guard standing nearby. "You! The prisoner refuses to talk to me. No food or water for her and that dragon until further notice." He said and pointed your way, making clear to the guard you were in that particular cell. "Aye, sir." The guard answered to him and kept his post while Ryker walked off.

"Where are you going?" You called after him as you shot yourself to the cell bars. "There is a lot of work that has to be done. You wouldn't know anything about it, so don't you try to make us feel pity for you. You will only make us lose valuable time." He said to you and walked off with loud stamping on the wooden planks. You sighed out and sat back down again, starting to really hate this guy.

Two nights went by slowly as you were pretty hungry and even more thirsty. Your mouth was dry and you would do anything for a cup of water. The men walked past your cell frequently, bullying you with food items and large goblets of drinks. They laughed at you for the state you were in and teased you with questions if you wanted anything to drink. You knew they weren't allowed to give you anything, so you didn't even bother trying to beg for it. It would only cost more energy and you needed every bit of it if you wanted to survive this ship. To survive these men.

When you were asleep, someone woke you up with slamming his sword into the bars. Ryker stood there with a wide smirk on his face, looking down at you. "Ready to talk now?" He asked you once you recovered from the startle. You struggled to speak as your mouth was still so incredibly dry.

"I can't tell you what I don't know." Your voice was soft and weak. "Hmm..." Ryker just hummed. "Very well then." His voice was low, but you could hear unpredictability in it. Ryker once again aimed himself to the two guards standing at the exit of the room. "Kill the beast. There is no use for us to keep it alive anymore."

Your worst nightmare would become reality. This awful guy was ordering these guards to kill your dragon. Your best friend! "No! Don't hurt him!" You screamed as loud as your voice allowed you to. You were fighting to hold back the tears and the urge to punch someone in the face was growing and growing. Still, you couldn't do a thing behind these bars. "Then talk. That is the only way you can save your dragon." Ryker was still not amused. The guards were closing in on Jaynu who was still helpless and muzzled.

As panicked as you were, you had to think fast to save your dragon's life. You turned yourself to Ryker and shot him a venomous look. "Fine. I'll talk, but only in private." You demanded from him. The smirk on his face grew wider again as he glanced over to you. "Halt." He called out to the men.

"Leave the dragon alone. I will have a word with her first. If she does not talk, you still get to kill the beast." Ryker said as he unlocked the doors and grabbed you by the arm, dragging you to his chamber. You could get a quick look over your shoulder to Jaynu to see if he was alright. He looked back at you with fear in his eyes, but you both knew you would be fine for now.