Stone 53

Chapter 53
Richard and Pasha are heading back through the Big Stone Witch House, and Pasha points out the Prelate's offices and quarters. Richard decides to try to see the Prelate, despite Pasha's insistance that it won't work, and placates her by promising to let her pick out his clothes for dinner. "The offer to let her pick his outfit gave her pause." Because women only care about clothes, amirite? \~/ 
Richard bullshits his way past the (single) guard in a manner not worth repeating. The Prelate's secretaries, however, blow off Richard and Pasha, so they leave. It turns out Richard "had only been interested in knowing the layout of the buildings and grounds for future reference." He's a cagey one, that Richard.
En route back to Richard's quarters, he and Pasha meet a hunched-over young man with "curly blonde hair...cut short at the sides." This proves to be Warren, who has eyes for Pasha and who asks Richard if he'd like to come down into the vaults and look at the prophecies some time. Richard says he's not much good at riddles, but when Warren mentions the prophecy involving "the bringer of death," he becomes more interested. About this time Jedidiah shows up, shoving Warren aside and calling him "Mole," and generally spraying testosterone everywhere. He tells Pasha he's decided to take her to dinner and instructs her to clean herself up, but she's going with Richard instead. Richard and Jed banter for a bit before Jed swaggers off, having established his macho credentials. 
Because it amuses me, I shall hereafter refer to Warren as Moley.
They go to dinner, Richard in his red coat, Pasha in a green dress that "did more to reveal her figure than cover it." Way to slut it up, Pasha. Everyone is nice and chatty, ignoring Richard's temper tantrum of the day before. We learn (through gossip) that Jed fell down stairs and broke his leg, which made him so mad that he incinerated an expensive carpet.
More pertinently, we also learn that wizards-in-training wear plainer robes the more advanced their training is: novices wear fancy outfits, and those about to graduate wear the plainest outfits. Thus, Jed's tan robes are a badge of rank, and Richard's fancy coats indicate that he is a mere beginner.
Dinner ends, Richard insists on visiting Moley, and that's the chapter.
Drinks: One.
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