When Miryem is claimed as a bride by the Staryk king, she turns to her grandfather for advice. He talks about it as though it were a proposal from any other unlikable man who was too powerful to refuse. It helps Miryem stay grounded and remain calm and dignified far more than panic and rash action would have, and she's able to navigate the king's world with her dignity and wits intact when he takes her away.
Miryem's father tries to persuade her not to risk her life for the Staryk by asking if there are even ten righteous among them. She decides that knowing there are only three—Flek, Tsop, and Shofer, her Staryk servants—is enough.
