Shirakawa Kaede

Infobox Character
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series = "Tales of the Otori"
name = Shirakawa Kaede


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first = Mentioned first in "Heaven's Net Is Wide"
Main role in "Across the Nightingale Floor"
last = "The Harsh Cry of the Heron"
last_cause = End of the series
creator = Lian Hearn
portrayer =
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species = Human
gender = Female
age =
born =

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family = Maruyama Naomi (cousin)
Mitsuru Ai (sister)
Arai Hana (sister)
Lord Shirakawa (father)
Maruyama Shigeko (daughter)
Otori Maya (daughter)
Otori Miki (daughter)
Kikuta Hisao (step-son)
spouse = Otori Shigeru (ex-fiance)
Otori Takeo (husband)

residence = Hagi, Yamaguchi, Japan

Shirakawa Kaede is a fictional character in the fantasy series, Tales of the Otori, written by Lian Hearn."'

The Curse

Throughout Across the Nightingale Floor, Kaede is rumoured to have a curse upon her, saying that any man who desires her is greeted with death. Indeed, this may be true, as her many suitors have all passed away throughout the series. Although her ex-husband, Otori Takeo, did not perish even after communing with her several times.

Relationships

Kaede has many relationships throughout the Tales of the Otori.

Otori Takeo

Kaede and Takeo were married for a number of years. They had four children together, Shigeko, Maya and Miki. The fourth, a boy, was murdered by Maya. They promise always to be truthful to each other. However, whilst Takeo was with the Tribe, he had another lover, Yuki. She conceived his child. Yuki was under orders from the Tribe to conceive Takeo's child, because they wanted to preserve his skills. After Hisao was born, Yuki was forced to take poison. Takeo never told Kaede about his son. Her sister, Hana told her, putting Kaede into a powerful rage which caused her to burn down the house at Hagi and change her name back to Shirakawa. However, at the end of The Harsh Cry of the Heron, it shows that she still loves him.

Otori Shigeru

Kaede and Shigeru have an arranged marriage, yet he dies just hours afterwards. They never slept together.

Lord Fujiwara

Fujiwara takes Kaede hostage and marries her, not because he desired her, but because he wants to add her to his 'collection'.

Lord Shirakawa

Kaede's father tries to rape her in the last moments of his life. Kaede had conceived Takeo's child, which she claimed to be Shigeru's, so her father would be proud of her. He finds out it is not Shigeru's child. Before he actually manages to rape her, Shizuka and Kondo Kiichi kill him.

Biography

Heaven's Net Is Wide

Kaede is mentioned in Heaven's Net Is Wide to have been sent off to the Noguchi castle, in which she is badly treated. The men of the house bet on who will be the first to seduce her. Arai Daiichi protects her; these being two main themes that are carried into the beginning of Across the Nightingale Floor. She is also said to be a beautiful girl.