The Dragon's Master

How ironic

The boy with cropped hair, Quinten, threateningly loomed over Jeascqui ever since his rebirth, calling him out for cultural mistakes, and pointing out his outlandish attitude. Jeascqui of course expected no less from the boy who was to be the most qualified knight, and right hand man of the protagonist in "The Dragon's Master". So fitted for his role, in fact, that the original author also created a separate story line in his book of short stories, "The Master's knights", where Quinten's backstory, and the backstories of multiple other favourite characters were delved into.

"Gosh, you've always been a weirdo, stop drifting off and help me tie this rope!" Quinten's voice was so loud in contrast to the distant galloping of hooves, and dark solemn silent faces that stared up at him, void of any signs of hope.

Jeascqui got up to help him.

"You probably don't want to do this right? You were the only one who seemed to have any liveliness left, so I had to ask you... Even though you're parents, they... I'm sorry" Quinten winced at his own awkwardness. Jeascqui sighed, Quinten was such a typical 'protagonist's friend', kind and sympathetic, yet slightly bashful. He would grow up to be a lady's man, but these traits lead Jeascqui  to further dislike him, perhaps out of jealousy, or the entitlement that Quinten held. Regardless, Jeascqui decided to help Quinten.

"Let's just get this over and done with..." Jeascqui held the large rope that Quinten had originally been tied with. How Quinten managed to escape the knot was a mystery to Jeascqui, but he supposed that was the power bestowed upon him by the author. Jeascqui then realised how out of place he was going to be throughout the unravelling of this story, as a side character who will die. He will constantly be looking over his shoulder in a desperate attempt to change the course his life will take and if he does get over that plot hurdle, how will his life continue?

Without warning, Quinten threw a lasso loop outside the cage and it hooked onto the attaching mechanism behind the horse. Quinten then settled into a strange stance and started to pull the rope with all his might. By sheer luck, and plot armour of course, Quinten's rope managed to slip under the hook that held the cage and the mercenary's horse together. Jeascqui knew that this was all according to a storyline, yet he was still dumfounded by how cool it seemed. Quinten grunted as his bare feet started sliding across the rough wooden floor. Jeascqui winced at the small trail of blood left behind Quinten's feet. Jeascqui was ready to turn the other cheek, but something inside of him forced him to help. Then he realised, this entire time he had been following the original storyline that lead to his character's death.

Jeascqui felt the grinding of his foot on every splinter, his foot blistering and feeling as though it was on fire, his legs sliding down trying to work against gravity as the cage steadily moved up a hill. It felt as though the skin on the bottom of his feet was about to burst. He didn't cry, but Quinten did. Quinten pulled the rope, and discreetly wiped his tears with his sleeve.

'Ah yes...'

Quinten was still only seven.... Jeascqui was nineteen and had already felt excruciating pain before, once, in his past life, his appendix burst, and he had to walk himself to a nearby hospital, that pain trumped this pain. Jeascqui wondered if he could use his intolerance to an extent of pain as a strength in his character. 

'Probably not' he sighed.

Finally with one last hefty pull, Jeascqui and Quentin fall backwards as the latch on the carriage is unhooked. The cage jerks and jolts and then slowly begins descending backwards down the hill. The carriage picked up speed and then started bolting down the hill. The other people in the cage were beginning to get excited, their freedom suddenly within grasp. The cage hit a rock, and a wooden wheel went flying off to the side and the cage started to go crazy, swerving left and right. In the distance, the evil mercenaries could be seen waving their axes and swords, chasing after the wild cage. Jeascqui then wondered how terrifying the mercenaries must be to chase after such a lowly group of villagers, how desperate the slave traders, or whatever evil-doers that hired the mercenaries, must have been to place such importance on these hostages. Jeascqui's thoughts melted away when an unlucky villager was struck by a mercenary arrow. The arrow pierced through the villagers heart and he died almost instantly.

The villagers weren't important to the mercenaries after all. It was as if they were just some livestock, or bound to be killed anyway.

Jeascqui watched as the lifeless body of the wounded victim flopped and thud onto the rough cage floor and swung side to side at every jolting turn. 

'This is real life, I CAN DIE, THAT COULD'VE BEEN ME! THAT WILL BE ME!!'  Jeascqui felt like he was about to go insane as he recalled the events that led to his death.

Quinten, however, was not so shaken. Of course not, once again, he was a main character, he had a horrible past as well which caused him to witness his mother's death and father's abandonment. But Jeascqui was different, Jeascqui was an expendable side character with a great past! Jeascqui didn't want to die, not again, and Jeascqui definitely did not want to be killed.

The carriage shook as it reached a flat plain at the end of the hill, and the peoples excitement had turned to fear and hatred for their two 'saviours'. The villagers now looked at 7 year old Quinten, 'Lucky Charm' with hatred and disappointment, silently cursing him with scornful looks, as though he was at fault for the dead villager. More arrows flew towards the slowing cage.

Jeascqui then remembered how volatile people could be, switching sides with no care for morals, as long as they can escape blame, and responsibility. Jeascqui decided at that point to stand tall with Quinten. Quinten had brought nothing but luck to these villagers, but the villagers could only repay him with scolding looks. Jeascqui's tall stand alongside Quinten earned him only despite from the other enslaved villagers.

"Look there!" A small girl's eyes lit up as she pointed excitedly toward an incoming soldier's army. The army was small, and a couple of soldiers had already reached the cage. With one swing, a soldier was able to knock open the brass lock on the cage, and people scrambled out as fast as they could, shoving Quinten and Jeascqui aside.

"How ironic" Jeascqui scoffed, but Quinten wasn't at all phased or impressed by Jeascqui's comment. He instead just exuded happiness that him and his peers were freed. Jeascqui didn't understand Quinten's seemingly unconditional love and care for the villagers that put themselves first, but Jeascqui supposed it was due to the length of time he had spent in the village in comparison to Quinten.