Talara looked down at Dragon Bridge from her vantage point above the settlement. She had been expecting a fighting force to be at Dragon Bridge Overlook, but instead had found only three Reachmen who looked too old to lift a sword. She would later find out that they possessed powerful magic and had intel on everyone in Dragon Bridge. Now, she moved to convene with the head Hagraven of her clan.
The creature was waiting in the tent that the forsworn had built for her. Talara bowed as she entered.
"Rise, girl, and tell me what plan you have concocted to take the town." The Hagraven growled.
Talara obeyed. "Your magic, combined with the three Reachmen will destroy the bridge while I lead our people against the Penitus Oculatus and the town guards. We will slaughter everyone and suffer no one to live. Dragon bridge will be razed to the ground and all of Skyrim will fear our names."
"You will be making an enemy of the Empire."
"It is the will of Lord Hircine."
The hagraven regarded her for a moment before smiling. "Very well. It is about time that the Reach have a leader to be proud of. Come, we will attack at dusk. Muster the forces."
Talara dipped her head and departed to do as commanded. The people were already itching to slaughter. Even she could barely hold still as her warpaint was applied to her body by her most trusted sisters. She retrieved her sword to sharpen it and await the time to attack.
She watched as one of her sisters ran into the town, screaming and crying. The Penitus Oculatus and townspeople began entering the street to see what the commotion was about.
"Forsworn! In the woods! They tried to attack me!" She heard her scream and
raised her fist for the archers to prepare to shoot. More soldiers began pouring into the open. Her sister, wisely moved beneath the overhang of the tavern.
"Now!" Talara shouted. The air hummed a single chord as over a hundred bows loosed their arrows into the midst of the soldiers, slaughtering them like sheep. "For the Reach!" She cried as she lead the charge down into the town. The sword of Red Eagle sliced through the armor of the Emperor's protectors like a knife through butter, adding the bonus of lighting them on fire. Guards came rushing in from all directions, hearing the commotion from their patrols.
"Let no one live! Kill them all!" Talara encouraged her people, as she herself sliced off the head of a guard.
The hagraven and the Reachmen went to the bridge to await for orders to begin setting the trap.
Once the people were all dead, the Looters set to work on the homes, taking anything of value before fire was set to the houses and shops. Armor was stolen from the corpses of the Oculatus agents. Most of the Reachmen leaders only had their men wear traditional forsworn armor, but Talara was no fool. If the armor was better than the ones they were wearing, then they would take it. She ordered her men across the bridge as the alarm was sounded. A large of soldiers were coming from the east. Legionnaires by the look of it.
Talara gave the signal as she stepped across the bridge. The Hagraven and three Reachmen began covering the bridge in explosive runes. The arriving force got to witness the great Dragon Bridge as it was covered in explosive fire that filled the night sky. When the smoke cleared, the bridge was still intact.
"What the hell?!" Talara roared.
The legionnaires began to cross the bridge, but they froze when the great structure began to fall apart. Massive chunks of the bridge began falling into the chasm below, taking many imperials with it.
The forsworn cheered and Talara smiled. She gave the signal to retreat and her people disappeared into the night. Tonight would be a great night of celebration for the true sons and daughters of the Reach, filled with wine and song and dance and sex. But tomorrow, Talara knew the real war would begin.