Star-Moon Bay's population had swelled to more than sixteen thousand after it took in Ossulund Territory and the Refugees. With caravans and travelers coming and going, it now resembled a small city-state.
Leila pushed Idelia along as they followed Annan's tour of Star-Moon Bay.
Musket-wielding soldiers in heavy, stifling Plate Armor patrolled the streets. To Idelia's surprise, she saw resolve in their youthful faces. Annan said they had just returned from killing Ratfolk at Evernight Port and were eager to show off their achievements. They had volunteered to patrol, and he could hardly dampen the young men's enthusiasm—
Then Annan led them to the noisy Waterwheel Mill and showed them a newly made Musket and suit of Plate Armor. The Musket, he said, was the sharpest spear; the armor was the sturdiest shield. They also stopped by the Sandy Beach where the White Dragons trained. Leila said the White Dragon she rode was called Andy. He could not fit through the Portal and was now carrying a knight back—to keep the towns along the way from attacking him as an evil White Dragon.
"Andy?" Idelia's interest was piqued, unsurprisingly. Unlike Leila, her elder sister preferred "Betar's Redemption." Annan explained that Elder, the Dragon-Taming Boy, had named Andy. Unable to come up with many names, he had called the other White Dragons Jack, Rose, Freeman, and so on...
So Annan took her to Star-Moon Bay's Prison next. Idelia spent a long time looking around the Prison, which was a faithful recreation of the one in "Betar's Redemption." Afterward, they went to Moonport. Several small wooden boats were moored at the busy docks, while a few Sailing Ships could be seen floating in the deep water beyond the bay. With the Ratfolk moving north, Moonport was now a port in name only—its