Richard play to gain more power over the others by touzoku

OK think about it.

Lil Ben stumbles upon Richard and asks if he can go live in the magical forest with him and his merry men.

Richard says yes that is possible but you will have to be very patient.

Then some time travelers come back in time one of them shoots Ben

Ben is brought to Richard and they ask Richard to heal Ben.

Ben says yes but there is a cost, quickly his friends tell him to talk to widmore and elles and the others before he does this.

Richard say's I don't have to report to them and walks off with Ben

now what if

Lil Ben wanders in the woods and stubles upon Richard and says take me to your magical forest.

So lets pretend he said sure follow me lil ben, he goes back to the others

but they say NO he can't join because that's not how we do things.

Think about it.

Perhaps Richard is making some sort of "power move" within the others and the coming war is not between Dharma and the Others

But a civil war between the others. And Dharma just gets caught in the middle.

Widmore was a person of power, but he claims Ben stole it all from him and he knows what Ben is.

So perhaps Ben is simply Richards tool to gain power within the group known as the others.Theory by touzoku