When both Fyrian and the Sorrow Eaters grieve for their mothers, it again makes the case that familial love, and specifically the bond between birth mothers and their children, is stronger than nearly anything else. This is why Fyrian stayed small, and it’s why the Sorrow Eater felt the need to construct a horrific life in order to keep herself from feeling her sorrow. Glerk and Xan’s ability to talk Fyrian down from this ledge shows that they’re still important parental figures in his life, and that they can help keep him from following in the Sorrow Eater’s footsteps.