Cyprus followed Shanna's gaze to the sobering sight of those desperate newcomers. The Sorcerer-King was a legendary tyrant known for letting those in his favor run rampant over those he didn't care for, and these people had to know that, yet here they were. It was because here at least there was food to go around. Barely enough, but some. Farms like the one in Azkad were heavily guarded, and they were sprawling, because yields per individual were so pathetic. In other words, stealing from farms was a death sentence and trying to start a farm of their own was impractical without massive manpower. They'd barely grow enough to subsist on, and be an easy target for roving bandits. So waltzing right in to the clenched fist of a tyrant was their only chance at survival. It broke his heart.<br/><br/>He spotted the girl all too easily; she stood out as the youngest and frailest among the crowd. He strolled over to her, invisible to all but Shanna, and even she would have only the vaguest awareness of his presence at this distance. Gently, he pressed his thumb to the unwitting girl's forehead, and spoke words only he could hear. "May the mothers of this city see you as their own daughter, that they may feed you and keep you, and may those that wish you harm turn their eyes elsewhere." For a brief moment, a winding sigil of light burned faintly on her skin, but then it dissipated as soon as it had appeared. Cyprus fell to one incorporeal knee, weakened by the display of magic, but it had felt too right not to do it. And after a moment, his strength returned, as the blessing would use the girl's own life force to power it, at least until he claimed the first piece of stolen magic. From there, he'd have power to spare to bless all those in need, and with farming suddenly a sustainable enterprise again, those blessings would be far less in demand. But in the meantime, having divine magic broadcasting into the city was just a bad idea.<br/><br/>Shortly after he'd given his blessing, Shanna reached the front of the line, and the masked Immortal manning the post grinned at her from behind his mask. "Really, Shanna? Going out into the world? You don't have to go that far to make your fortune, just stop by my bedchamber and I'll show you a new world." But with a wink, he allowed her to pass.<br/><br/>Cyprus ushered her out. "If we can get out of sight of the city walls, they're not going to chase you even after they find out about your kill. The guards have too much to worry about to go on a wild goose chase outside the city. That said, we should probably take as little time in Azkad as we can, just in case they decide to send a runner with the news that you're a wanted woman." From there, he led her down the cobblestone path to the main road. "But for now, how does freedom taste?"