#and bess

Rook had already disappeared below deck. A heartbeat later came a familiar bleat. Then another.

Then the unmistakable sound of hooves clattering across wood, and Rook reappeared just in time to watch Bess sprint down the boat's tiny ramp.

And straight past Devlin. Who she completely ignored.

The sheep trotted happily between dockworkers before burying her face in a basket of expensive vegetables someone had left unattended.

A merchant spun around.

"HEY!"

Rook pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.

"Bess."

She continued eating.

Devlin set his crate down.

"You want me to...?"

"Please."

Together they tried approaching from opposite sides.

But Bess was no ordinary ewe, she would not be so easily outwitted, and slipped neatly between them.

She wandered farther down the dock as though this were all part of the day's itinerary.

Devlin lunged.

Missed.

Rook side stepped and reached for her.

Missed.

Devlin held it together for another few seconds before the absurdity of it all finally caught up with him.

He laughed.

A real laugh.

The kind that stole your breath and made your sides hurt. Because frankly? These were not the kind of shenanigans that happened in Ishgard. Life was so much less serious out here. Or so it seemed.

Rook looked at his son, then at the sheep happily chewing someone else's cabbage.

Against his better judgment...

He laughed too.

They finally cornered Bess between a stack of crates and a coil of rope. Rook scooped the renegade ewe into his arms while she protested loudly enough for the entire dock to hear.

Devlin wiped a tear from the corner of his eye.

"I don't think she likes boats."

Rook looked down at the sheep, then back toward the sloop.

"I don't think she likes anything."

Devlin laughed again.