Chapters 1 - 3 Summary

The Harsh Cry of the Heron starts with the scene of Otori Takeo, Lord over the Three Countries and hero of the preceding Tales of the Otori series, attacking his wife Kaede.

Takeo Otori, once the shy, secretive child who is a member of 'the Hidden' (a tribe of Ninja-like mystics, reviled by most of the Three Countries), rose to prominence over the last sequence of books and finally became the supreme war leader of the lands (under the Emperor, that is). He is now married to Kaede (the daughter of his old enemy), a father to three daughters and living at one of his palaces at Inuyama.

Chapter 1 sees Takeo and Kaede's oldest daughter, Shigeko, shouting to her younger siblings Maya and Miki that their parents are fighting again, and that they must come and watch. Takeo rarely spars with...