She caught it easily and held it out to one of the horses, gently stroking its mane. "It's not that I don't like them, it's that I'm very weary of who is driving. I've had one too many near fatal crashes because the driver was careless."
"Most of which were your sister," Diah pointed out.
"Sadly, yes."

"Carol, would you like to ride up here?" Marcus offered.

Jin opened the door to the carriage and helped Sue in. The seats were covered in red satin. "Diah, get in. Carol, it's up to you."

Diah climbed in, a bit uncomfortable with his long legs. Walking would have fit him better.
She looked back between the other three and the man in front, then shrugged and climbed up next to him.
"Is she safe with that man?" Diah asked softly.

"Would I have allowed her to be near him if she weren't?" Jin asked calmly. "Marcus is my 'second in command' you could say."

Marcus helped Carol up and slid over so she had room. Elias looked up at her and cast her a grin. "Hold on." Marcus advised her as he cracked the whip and the horses took off.

She pointedly ignored Elias, and, after jerking forward slightly at the start, crossed her legs, her eyes wandering.
"I'm a bit concerned by how...close you two are becoming," Diah said carefully, his voice low enough Carol wouldn't hear.

"And what business is that of yours?" He asked, staring out the window. "You know I won't do anything to her, keeping her purity is a priority, so relax." He stretched his legs on the seat across, "But she's mine to do with as I please, she chose that herself."

"I'm not worried about your plans, or your motives, or any of that. I'm worried only about her. If she falls for you, and you turn her down, leave her, anything, it will hurt her just the same as if you had beaten her bloody."
Carol glanced back with a frown. "Are you guys talking about me?"
Diah, unable to lie, kept quiet, letting Jin answer.

"Of course not." Jin lied smoothly. "What, do you expect me to fling her across the room if she gets near me? Her emotions are hers alone to control. She knows anything romantic with me isn't an option, and I'm not exactly her night in shining armor. I should have to explain myself to a winged hamster."

Carol glared at the two a moment longer, then turned back around.
Diah ignored the insult and continued. "She believes loving you isn't wrong--that God would never condemn it. And she's right. What she overestimates is your ability to control your sex drive. She's still fighting feeling anything more than simple friendliness towards you--mostly because Sue was so sure it'd happen--but she isn't terribly concerned about whether or not she succeeds."

"You're here to watch her, not me. I'm not taking orders or concerns from someone like you." He said bitterly, "And you're one to talk, all over her all the time. I'm pretty sure guardians aren't supposed to fall for those they watch over because it can affect their judgment."

His tone suddenly turned stern. "She is my child, and I love her as such. There is nothing more to what I feel than that." The accusation was one that, in heaven, was extremely severe and could result in loss of status as a guardian, and it was extremely offensive to Diah. His voice softened once more. "Which, speaking of...you're going to find this intrusive and will most likely not answer, but I'm asking anyway out of curiosity. Do you feel anything towards her?"

"I -can't- feel anything towards her." Jin answered shortly.

"They're very talkative aren't they, for hating each other so passionately." Marcus commented, earning a snicker out of Elias. For most of the ride Marcus had,as usual, chosen to stay fairly quiet.

"It wouldn't be in your best interest, but you're fully capable of it."
Carol tugged lightly on Marcus' sleeve. "What're they talking about?"

"Nothing now, it seems Jin's ended their conversation." He said as he pulled off his cloak and wrapped it around her, "The temperature's about to drop." he cautioned as their surroundings became covered in ice.

Pulling it tighter around her, she asked, "Okay, what were they talking about?"

"Diah's worried about you and Jin growing feelings for each other, Jin's telling him it won't happen."

Diah frowned. "We were being quiet for a reason."
She blushed slightly and looked away. "Well Jin's right for once. And shame on you both for gossiping."
"My apologies, Carol," he muttered, feeling guilty now.

Jin smirked, "He brought it up."
"You should have been quieter." Marcus answered shortly, a smile resting on his features.

Her eyes narrowed. "I can't wait 'till this whole thing is over. I won't have to deal with you people anymore. I can have a life where I don't get molested every other night and people are interested in more than just my breasts."
Diah frowned, a concerned expression on his face. He needed to talk to Jin, but with Carol already angry as it was, he wasn't going to press at the moment.

Jin's smile fell as he realized she was actually angry. "Carol..."

"You've only been here one night, and I'm the only one that's tried to molest you, qui whining already. You're a fucking princess here with the potential to be more powerful that any creature living or dead has ever been, thanks to Jin. And believe me, Jin's not after your breasts." Elias spouted off at the mouth, earning a dark look from Marcus that shut him up instantly.

"I don't want power!" She snapped. "All I wanted was my mother to be well. This whole saving the world crap came in after. I thought I was going to be just another maid for him for a while and be done. And you weren't the only one, thank you." She glared out at nothing, her outfit shifting to a pair of loose black pants and a sweater.

"Yeah? Who else then?" Elias countered, unable to stay quiet.

"Would you rather be 'just another maid'?" Jin asked, "It would mean turning your back on your religion and sleeping with a demon when ever he happens to have the desire, is that what you had been hoping for?"

"No, I just--" Her head fell forward into her hands, the hood falling over head sloppily. She was glad for it; they couldn't see her this way, couldn't see she'd started to cry. "I'm sick of you two fighting, I'm sick of that guy--" she gestured towards Elias. "I'm sick of you always talking about me and planning things for me and never actually telling me what's going on, and I'm really sick of this double personality crap. Can't you spend one day as the same frickin' person, just one?"

"Jin, my hands are cold... I think you need to steer awhile." Marcus said as he unhooked Elias from the hand rail and slipped into the back. Jin, not wanting to crash, moved up next to Carol. unsure of what to say he chose to say nothing, but rather, he rested an arm around her shoulders, hoping it would be enough.

Diah scooted away from Elias, biting his tongue with difficulty. He wanted to intervene, to comfort her, to yell at Jin for causing this mess...but this didn't involve him.
She froze, unable to bring herself to shake him off but not particularly wanting to move closer.