Across the Nightingale Floor

Across the Nightingale Floor

I did my book report on Across the Nightingale Floor by Lian Hearn. In the beginning of this book it introduces Takeo, one of the main characters in the story. It tells about his life until then. Then while he was in not in his village he saw smoke coming from his village. He ran back to see what was happening. When he did get back he saw that there was no one there and the village was almost destroyed. He looked around and found his stepfather dead. Then soldiers came and Takeo hid from them. Then the soldiers spotted him and started to chase after him. Next a man on a horse was about to slice him with a sword, but it didn't hurt Takeo. Instead Takeo the horse was frightened by him and the man fell off it. Takeo ran into the woods to hide, but some soldiers were chasing after him. Then out of no where he ran into a man. When the soldiers ask to hand him over, the man who Takeo ran into saved him. Takeo and the man who revealed to Takeo his name was Lord Otori headed for Hagi where Lord Otori lives. Now Takeo had to change his name from Tamusa to Takeo after Lord Otori saved so that he won't be recognized and had to start a new life now that his old one was destroyed.

Later on in the book Kaede, who is one of the other main characters, was to be married to Lord Otori to make an alliance with the Otori and the Tohan. Though, Kaede didn't want to marry him because she didn't love him. They waited for the Otori to come so she could meet him. As they came in sight, Kaede saw a boy riding with him. She asked for the name and it was Takeo. She spoke the name and fainted. She had fallen in love with Takeo and decided she will marry no one, but him. She could not marry Lord Otori. Though, Lord Otori didn't want to marry her either because he loved another, Lady Maruyama. They have been in love with each for some years. This was actually a plan to assassinate Lord Iida, the leader of the Tohan and also the person was on the horse in the beginning and fell off because of Takeo. They stayed at there rendezvous place for some time. Takeo was to learn how to use the sword, but was then to be spar with Kaede. That is when he has fallen in love with her. So they now both are in love with each other.

They are now in Inuyama, the capital of the Tohan region, where the marriage of Lord Otori was to take place. While there Takeo and Lord Otori were