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the camp, watch passes in its vicinity, and such, were now drawn exclusively from the command itself.
    “I wish you well,” said Lord Nishida.
    “I wish you well,” I said.
    We exchanged bows, I bowing first, and then I left the parapet.
     
     

 
    Chapter Two
     
    I Visit a Field;
    The Night is Dark;
    I Must be Otherwise Engaged
     
     
    It was cold when I departed the holding.
    Pertinax remained behind, that the camp might be contacted in case of need. We kept one or two couriers at the holding.
    The dark clouds of early winter obscured the moons.
    When I ascended the mounting ladder, I heard a voice cry out, “Traitor!” It had come from the darkness. I buckled the safety strap, and snapped the reins, and my mount leapt from the wall, spread its vast wings, and, after soaring a few Ihn, struck against the air and surged upward.
    “Traitor” had been the cry.
    I doubted that my absence from the camp at the time of the raid had been an accident. I doubted that I had been withdrawn by design by Lord Temmu. It seemed likely to me that, rather, my presence at the holding had been awaited, that the attack might be made. I did not think, however, that much would have proceeded differently even had I been at the camp. The guard personnel had been instituted as an independent command, that the training and readiness of the cavalry not be compromised. This was essentially a sound military decision as the cavalry’s mission would not be well served by, and might be jeopardized by, devoting a large complement of its strength to its own protection. But, as it had turned out, the soundness of this military decision had been predicated on assumptions which did not include treachery, apparently in high places. The pickets, outpost guards, sentries, and such, had been withdrawn, allegedly on the orders of Lord Temmu, which orders, apparently, had been fabricated, but had appeared authentic, given appropriate seals, and a knowledge of passwords, of signals and countersignals. The guard personnel were then relieved, and ordered back to the holding, to assist in its defense, as an attack was allegedly imminent, small, reduced units of Pani then taking their place. The new Pani, as it turned out, were cohorts of Lord Yamada, and served as scouts and guides for the converging raiders. Perhaps if I had been at the camp things might have been different, but it is difficult to tell about such things. As the guard personnel were not housed in the camp itself, and were not under our command, the transition had not been realized until it was too late. At the new camp, as suggested, I had instituted different arrangements. In particular, guard personnel were now drawn from the cavalry itself, despite this depletion of ready personnel. Beyond this, when not at their posts they were housed in the camp itself, where most men now knew one another. There would be no reliefs by strangers. Lastly, they were given to understand that their report lines were now internal to the cavalry itself. In problematical situations, they were not to act, if at all possible, without an explicit authorization administered through recognized officers in the cavalry’s chain of command. I remained bitter, of course, for I had not been there. Though I doubted that my presence would have much affected the outcome, if at all, I should have been there! It was my command! But I had not been there! And then I wondered on that. Had it been feared, had I been at the camp, that the attacks might somehow have been anticipated, and foiled? I did not know. It was hard to say. I supposed not. Yet they had awaited my absence. Perhaps, I wondered, that had less to do with military considerations, for I would not have been likely, under the circumstances, to do much to alter an outcome there unless by some happy accident, than political considerations. I ranked high amongst the mercenaries, and certainly, as least as I understood it, in the cavalry, regarded as so crucial to the