Haulus looked at the fortress being constructed. As a groan went up from one of the ropes, he braced himself further, giving time for the men on the upper platform time to continue hauling the log up.
"There's the last one!" bellowed someone behind him, rolling up another log.
"Good work, men!" said Haulus.
He had always hated the lands to the southwest. So when he came to power, the first thing he did had been to expand there. Most of the people had hated the place too, but with this line of fortresses and barricades, it was fiercely theirs. Nobody on either side would go any further. His people refused to continue expanding there, and the barbarians there would never dare to attack.
Orders: Expand southwest, then build a set of fortresses, increasing building skill and infrastructure