Asoiaf: I Have a Wolverine Template

Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Planting Seeds
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Third POV

The marketplace in Lannisport was alive with energy, the smell of freshly baked bread mingling with the tang of salted fish and the sweet aroma of fruit. Merchants called out their wares from stalls that lined the cobbled streets, their voices competing with the hum of the crowd.

Richard and Alicent walked side by side, the sun casting a warm glow over them as they moved through the bustling sea of people.

Alicent's smile was bright as Richard bought her a few books and a delicate piece of jewelry, a simple silver chain that sparkled against her neck. She thanked him with a soft touch to his arm, her happiness evident.

As they moved from stall to stall, Richard's hands moved with practiced ease, slipping into the pockets and pouches of passersby without a single person noticing.

Coins exchanged into Richard hands faster than anyone could react, and yet his face remained calm, unbothered by the small thefts he committed as they walked.

Alicent was unaware of his light-fingered deeds, lost in her joy as she admired the simple luxuries he was able to give her now. But as they continued through the crowded marketplace, her mood shifted. Her smile faded, and Richard noticed the change immediately.

Following her gaze, Richard saw what had captured her attention—a young boy, who looked 9 namedays, sitting by the side of the street, ragged and thin. On his lap was a little girl, barely five namedays, her clothes dirty and her cheeks pale. The boy held out a trembling hand, silently asking for help as people walked by, not sparing them so much as a glance.

Richard glanced at Alicent, her face soft with sympathy. She had always had a heart for the downtrodden, for those who reminded her of their own time on the streets. He knew what she was thinking before she even spoke.

"Do you want to help them?" Richard asked, his voice quiet as he watched her.

Alicent nodded without hesitation, but there was something more in her eyes—a deeper thought behind the immediate compassion she felt.

Richard raised an eyebrow. "Nothing is free, you know. If we were to help them, they'll have to repay us somehow."

Alicent didn't respond right away. Instead, she gave it a long, thoughtful silence, her eyes still fixed on the boy and the girl. She had learned much over the years, watching how the world worked in the streets, how nothing came without a cost. But when she spoke, it wasn't what Richard expected.

"With your powers... can't you become a leader? Like Rodric was?" Her voice was quiet but steady, the suggestion catching Richard off guard.

He blinked, surprised by the sudden shift in her thinking. The idea hadn't even crossed his mind, but now that she said it, something stirred within him.

He remembered the memories of John Falcon—the scenes of a movie where a child, born into nothing, rose to control a vast criminal empire. The respect, the fear, the power—it had all come from being relentless, from taking what others wouldn't dare to.

Richard's mind raced as he considered it. Leading a group? He was fast enough, strong enough, and people feared what they didn't understand. What if he could take what Rodric had left behind and do it better—on his own terms? The thought was intoxicating in its possibilities.

He glanced back at the boy on the street, then at Alicent, her face still soft with kindness. But there was also a sharpness in her now, an understanding that survival sometimes meant making hard choices.

Richard gently patted her on the shoulder, a rare smile tugging at his lips. "You've just given me an idea," he said, his voice low, carrying a hint of something darker.