As Kari cleared her throat and motioned with her eyes for me look down at the mess of roots and flowers I'd tangled myself in Mjoll took the opportunity to address a question that had apparently been sitting unpleasantly on her tongue.
"How could she have hand picked Talos? He had his own gifts; ones he well earned as a man."
"This is quite true," the Spriggan murmured in amused affection. It was the kind of voice you would use to coddle child and I could feel Mjoll bristle. "Talos achieved very powerful gifts indeed but you of all people know how easily power corrupts both the living and the dead. He remained a good man, dedicated to himself and his cause no matter what he encountered and he was a heavily tested man. That is why she chose him; she believed he would stay a good man long after his life had ended. If you are looking for more proof or a better explanation than that I'm afraid I can give you neither. The answers are in her mind not my own." Mjoll turned her hard gaze to and crossed her arms over her chest. I automatically raised my hands in a passive gesture.
"I'm sorry Mjoll but I have answers to nothing. I don't remember any thing she's talking about, if I have gifts I certainly don't know what they are or how to use them, and, personally I'm starting to feel a little talked over. If I can find you answers I will but until then I'm no different than I was except now I can break stuff for you and maybe grow you some pretty flowers." She grunted a bit at my sarcasm.
"Where do we go from here then?" Before I could answer her the Spriggan decided to speak up though she wasn't talking to me this time.
"Follow your path Dragonborne, I think you've strayed long enough? There is much of Skyrim that needs your attention." With that she walked anyway and I felt dismissed. I glanced at Kari and she suddenly looked very old and very tired.
"Should we fetch your horn, old friend?" Kari huffed a sigh and nodded, rubbing her forehead and temples with her palm. I already knew which horn they were talking about so I couldn't help myself when I said "You can blow my horn any time baby." Several seconds passed before they burst out laughing and I smiled sheepishly, content that our tension was momentarily passed.