What does empathy mean to you?
The Present State of Hyrule
Tally and Noc traversed soundlessly through the Lost Woods until they finally, after what seemed like endless miles of forest, broke through the tree-line and found themselves in a sort of treeless rift that separated the redwoods from the oaks up ahead. Tally's gaze swept curiously over the clearing as she tried to identify the odd feeling it gave her. Fear? Anxiety? Urgency? Or maybe even wariness, like someone was watching her? Yes, maybe it was a mixture of that, but as she tentatively strode across the narrow clearing, she felt like she was leaving someone, or something, behind.
Noc sighed as he turned slightly around, casting one last regretful glance at the redwood trees before he fluttered sadly on. "I'll miss the redwoods; those are the closest things we have to the Great Deku Tree." Tally looked over her shoulder and wondered aloud, "How?"
"The Great Deku Tree's roots cover the whole of Hyrule; they are intwined with every tree, even if only a little. The redwoods, which only grow in the Lost Woods, have the strongest parts of his roots growing with their own. That's how he controls the growth of all trees." Noc replied, waiting patiently for Tally at the other end of the clearing, near the humble oaks that stood in the redwoods' shadow. "So every tree is a part of the Deku Tree?" Noc sighed once more, his patience rapidly running out.
"Yes. Now could we please get a move on, Tally?"
Tally waved her hand dismally as she crossed the narrow clearing and entered the leafy shade of the oak forest. "Calm down, we've got all day."
They spent the majority of the day trekking through the forest, which Noc claimed to be the Faron Forest, until Tally insisted they take a break and rest when a lush spring came into sight. Skipping eagerly towards the serene spring, Tally tugged off her boots and rolled up her leggings before plunging her feet into the water and plopping down in the soft grass. The water, which was warm and wonderful, rushed past her calves as the posh spring fed into a creek that creeped its way through the forest.
Then she noticed something off.
As Tally peered into the moving water, she observed a green pattern of swirling lines on her feet. Quickly pulling her legs out of the water, Tally stuck her feet out straight and studied the green designs on both of her feet in shock. Around both ankles was a thick, leaf green band that snaked its way down the flat of her foot, shooting off in random directions forming plant-like curls.
"Uh...Noc, can you come here for a second?"
The fairy, who had been resting on a nearby leaf, muttering things to himself, floated over to the girl, concern growing slightly at her tone. "What is-oh," he stopped short, wings drooping a little in dismay, "oh Goddess, what is that?" Tally brought her legs in towards her and cradled her right foot in her hands; her fingers tracing the smooth, shimmery, lines. "I dunno, Noc, but they weren't there before." She finally answered. The fairy vibrated and in a burst of light, his form morphed into that of a teen boy as he more closely examined the odd markings on Tally's feet.
"Empathy..." He muttered to no one in particular as he sat back and crossed his legs; his eyebrows knitted together in confusion.
Tally wrapped her arms around her legs and looked over her knees, studying the newly formed tattooes with absolute interest. Thinking long and hard about the Deku Tree's words, Tally tried to figure out why she had tattoos on her feet and how they could even remotely coincide with the word "empathy," if this was the Seal's doing (which is what she suspected). Well, as far as she knew, the definition was something along the lines of being able to identify certain emotions in another, like understanding how someone felt.
So tattoos on her feet were empathetic because...?
She hadn't a clue. She wasn't very bright when it came to metaphors. Start small, she thought. All right, so the swirling, plant-like designs obviously indicated earth, and the earth was the basis of everything. Everything grew from it, everything lived on it, so...
Ugh.
Tally sighed in exasperation and started thinking again. Maybe it was only plant-like designs because it was the Earth Seal, maybe earth didn't have any ties to empathy? She then focused on the body part they were on: the feet. Since empathy meant understanding others feelings, maybe the tattoos, being on her feet, implied something a little more literal...
Like the phrase, "Put yourself in their shoes."
That was it! To be empathetic, she had to put herself in other's situations, otherwise, how else could one understand how someone else was feeling? A broad smile stretched across her face.
"You know, Tally, you might actually be on to something." Remarked Noc as he pondered Tally's newfound explanation as they strolled through the Faron Forest.
"Surprising, right?" She beamed, sliding on her boots and rolling down her leggings. As they talked, they loyally followed the babbling creek that lead them on a shorter trail then their previous one.
"Indeed. Do you think it was the Seal's doing? It did melt into your hand after all."
Tally nodded as she remembered the wonderful sensation it gave her when it did. "I'm positive it was, Noc. Where else would it go? Quite frankly, I think it's rather convenient; now I don't have to carry that piece of rock everywhere I go or worry about someone stealing it."
The fairy boy, who was still in his transparent human form, nodded in agreement. "You've got a point. I wonder what the Fire Seal will look like, then? Or where it will be? Hah, how'd you like a big red flame in the middle of your forehead?" Noc chuckled to himself as Tally's hands flew up to her forehead and a look of fear flashed across her face before it turned into a scowl as she punched the fairy boy's shoulder (which was, surprisingly, substantial). "Not funny, Noc!"
He laughed and shrugged nonchalantly. "Never know, princess, you're going to be walkin' around with seven tattoos sooner or later; one's bound to be on your face."
"Noooo, I'm going to have six tattoos since the Light Seal is already at the castle. Besides, they're probably going to be pretty." She retorted smugly, sticking out her tongue at Noc. He rolled his eyes and flicked Tally on the forehead, and kin-like bickering ensued.
By the time twilight had descended and little pinpricks of light twinkled faintly, the pair had covered miles upon miles of forest and there energy was spent. To Tally's delight, a rustic village was summiting up ahead as they climbed an ever-steepening trail through the Faron Forest. Noc, who was wary and suspicious of the village that quickly came into view, protested that they should spend the night in the woods, however, his opinion was ignored when a kind boy offered them a place to stay.
The boy, of at least nine or so, had been packing up his large bundles of firewood when he spotted the girl and her fairy, and, being a kind-hearted and unassuming farm boy, the lad offered up his proposition with good intentions. Tally gratefully took him up on his offer and they were soon Ordon Village bound (that's what the kid called it, anyways).
"So, where you from, uhh..."
"Tally." She offered helpfully.
"Tally! Great name! So where you from, Tally?" The boy inquired, shifting the weight of the bundles on his back as they quickly walked through the darkness; their only source of direction coming from the gate to the village that was lit with two lanterns on either side.
"I'm from uh...," she glanced at her fairy, who whispered something in her ear, "Clock Harbour Town."
The boy's face lit up with curiousity and excitement. "Oh really? That's pretty neat! We don't get many travelers from Clock Harbour; that's awaaaaays away. You Hylian or from some other place?"
This time, Tally didn't need Noc's help; the more clueless she could play, the better. Being a foreigner was the perfect excuse. "Some other place."
"Ooooh, like where?"
Tally shot a pleading look at Noc, who just chuckled and whispered, "You got yourself into this mess, you can get yourself out." She groaned and rolled her eyes before returning the boy's question with a made up name.
"Tookuru Island. It's very far from here." Made up or not, the boy already adored Tally.
"Well, Miss Tally from Tookuru Island, my name's Bael from Ordon Village and this," their procession came to a halt as Bael gestured grandly to the village as they stood under the wooden gate, "is Ordon Village."
The lantern light shone brightly on them as Tally's gaze swept over the humble village of white-washed houses and patched up huts that were spread out in the wide, fenced-in space. Bael flipped his shaggy blonde hair out of his striking blue eyes as he grinned at Tally and started off through the village with a happy little skip in his step.
That happy little skip quickly vanished as a hoarse voice bellowed, "BAEL, YOU BETTER NOT BE DAWDLIN', YA HEAR? YOU STILL GOT CHORES TO DO AND YA ALREADY SPENT ENOUGH TIME DAYDREAMIN' IN THE WOODS SO HURRY-"
Bael didn't wait for the rough woman, who was shouting at the poor lad from her porch step, to finish, he simply grabbed Tally's hand and sprinted past the other houses like a spooked rabbit being chased by a rabid dog. They arrived at the porch steps of a white-washed cottage, panting and shaking, Bael especially, as he took off his heavy load with shaky hands as the brusque woman scolded him some more.
A little heavy, the middle-aged woman had curvy hips and and fierce green eyes that bored holes into Bael's bowed head as he took her scolding. At last, she was done and sent him off to milk the goats and as he did, he gave Tally an apologetic look before scurrying away. Tally smiled and nodded encouragingly, feeling awfully bad for the poor soul, but also terribly worried for her own. This lady was a force to be reckoned with.
To her surprise, the woman's harsh green eyes softened as she watched Bael run off to a small barn with a smile. And her gentle gaze didn't change or even falter when she returned to Tally standing at her porch steps. "I'm sorry 'bout that, sweet pea, Bael's head is always in the clouds. Now, m'dear, what can I do for you?"
Shifting her weight uncomfortablly, Tally replied quietly, "I'm in need of a place to stay and I was wondering if maybe-"
"Don't say another word. Come in, come in. What's your name?" The woman swept her in and, before Tally knew it, she was seated at a polished wooden table with goat milk being poured for her. "Um, Tally, m'am, and thank you, you don't need-"
"Nonsense, Tally, you look exhausted! It's my pleasure." She remarked with a warm smile. What ever happened to that snappy lady that was yelling at Bael, Tally wondered to herself. As she took a gulp of the cold milk, the woman asked, "So, Tally, how long you think you'll be stayin'?" Tally wiped off her milk-moustache, relishing the delicious taste of the liquid. "Just a night would be great, m'am. I've got a ways to go."
"Quit all that 'm'am' stuff, the name's Belle."
Tally smiled a thanks to Belle as she poured another glass for her.
By the time Bael came in, hauling two buckets of goat milk, Belle had already begun frying chicken and pumpkin rinds and had a steaming hot loaf of bread already on the table for Tally to enjoy. Belle ordered Bael to take the milk around back to an ice chest and resumed preparing dinner when she asked, "So Tally, where ya headed? Sounds somewhere important."
Tally tore off another chunk of bread and popped it into her mouth. Noc, who had insisted on hiding, was tucked away in Tally's pocket. "Death Mountain, or somewhere around there." Belle winced and gave the girl a look of bitterness before quickly returning to her cooking with raised eyebrows. "Now why would you want to go there, Tally? It's very far away, plus the Gorons are an awful breed, they're not too kind to the likes o' you." She replied seriously, stealing a glance at Tally out of the corner of her eye.
Tally shifted her weight uncomfortably in her chair and looked down at the polished wood of the table. "I, uh, have business there. But, what are Gorons? Why are they so awful?" Belle turned around and wiped her hands on her apron, looking Tally straight in the eye. "Tally, dear, the Gorons are not friends. They killed a whole village 'bout five ago for no reason whatsoever. All Hyrule was rearin' to bring 'em to justice but then they threaten'd to blow that Death Mountain up and sink Hyrule so we had no choice but to listen. Oh, Tally, it was such a terrible time. Y'know, they were the ones who started this here separation between the races, and they be the leaders of all them races, too."
"What separation?" Tally asked quietly, afraid of the fierce mixture of emotions in Belle's voice as she spoke. The woman raised her eyebrows in dismay. "You really don't know?"
Tally nodded.
Belle shook her head in surprise and returned to preparing the food. "Well, five years ago, after those retched Gorons went and destroyed that village and threaten'd us all with Death Mountain, they went and met with all the leaders of them other races -like the Zoras and Kokiri and Yeti and Gerudo and so on. Anyways, they suggested that they, the Gorons, should go to Castle Town and settle things with the King and Queen, since they claimed to be innocent. So they all agreed on it, thinking them Gorons were innocent and good-hearted, and the king, Darunia, along with some others, went to Castle Town. But when they got to the castle, surprise surprise, they destroyed half o' Castle Town as well, thinking they were so sneaky that they could beat us from the inside. Yet, despite their struggle, we managed to kick them out and banish them from ever returning. Well they were so angry that they decided to not be part of Hyrule anymore, so they called up anotha' meeting and declared the Gorons as a separate nation of some sort."
Belle, who had been twisting her apron tightly in her hands, glared for a few moments out her kitchen window before casting her gaze vengefully at the floor. Tally, who had been reduced to silence, stared straight ahead, stunned at what she had heard. How could a country be so torn? Corrupt? However, Belle wasn't finished.
"And then they go spreadin' hateful lies about us Hylians, us innocent, average people that haven't done a thing to them, sayin' we're filthy, hypocritical, thieves, who do everything for themselves. And they manage to get all the other races thinkin' that so now they think they can go and do whatever they want! So what do they do? They start killing off farmers, raiding villages, and when we call them out on it, they say they're innocent! The nerve of those low-life bastards! Next thing we know, it's us Hylians pitted against everyone else! And that, Tally, is why you shouldn't go to Death Mountain if you know what's good for you. Please excuse my language from before but what be goin' on is simply not right."
After a slighty awkward dinner, Belle had Bael prepare a bed for Tally and sent them off to sleep while she checked on the livestock. The boy showed Tally to their shared room and made sure her cot was comfortable. It was only about an hour later when he finally spoke again. Quietly, in a hushed voice, he asked Tally as he lay on his bed across the room from her, "Do you really believe those things my mama said, about the races and stuff?"
Tally thought for a while before replying, "No."
Bael sat up in his bed and looked at her. "You wanna hear the truth? What really happened?"