[attr="class","jdappbody2"]

[attr="class","jdappbody3"]

If all I had was love...

would I still be lovely?

A name passed down with each generation--only a stranger would refer to this girl as Jillian. Doing so would cause several other relatives to turn their heads as if they had been called, and they would be correct. While this tradition of being named after a parent only affects the oldest child per couple, the Andersons often reused the same one under certain circumstances.[break][break]

Take Holly for example. One sister born a few years prior passed away at a young age. As such, they ended up with the same name and a similar situation.[break][break]

It started with an occasional headache or moment of dizziness. Then the uncontrollable coughing that left her unable to run around or exert herself without struggling to breathe afterward. The more optimistic diagnosis did not expect her to live too far into adulthood. Not without a treatment they couldn't afford.[break][break]

Certain medications could lessen the symptoms, but Holly's parents weren't about to take that chance. Not again. They wanted the best for their daughter, which meant a long life with as little pain as possible.[break][break]

They sold everything of value they possessed and sought out a talented witch in Sundial. Another relative already lived in the town, and gave the family a place to stay while Holly was being treated. To this day, the debt acquired from the loan needed to pay for everything has yet to be paid off, but it was definitely worth every bit.[break][break]

If all I gave was love...

would you give up on me?

Holly didn't know what to do. Her parents gave her the freedom to do practically anything, but she couldn't commit to one decision. She had no hobbies. Well, except for painting, but that had to do with her natural weaving affinity so it didn't count.[break][break]

Now that she was old enough to (kind of) understand what her parents had given up to keep her around and healthy. . . it didn't seem like a fair trade. Better than the alternative, but she couldn't go off on some wild tangent and sink this family further into debt. She had to pay them back somehow, if only to make herself feel better about being alive.[break][break]

Once her magical abilities began to develop in earnest, she ended up wandering towards Jester's Den. She hardly even cared about joining a coven, but her parents' suggested it and she wanted to live up to their expectations.[break][break]

She drifted through her everyday activities without much of a purpose. After a while of going on missions and hearing stories from some of the older members, Holly came to the revelation that being able to help others was an amazing experience. This was the reasoning behind her continued existence. It wasn't luck that kept her alive, but fate.[break][break]

One of these days she'd come across another person in a bad situation, and could use her power to save them. She just had to follow her parents' example and give everything.[break][break]

While that sounded alright in her head, actually sticking to the idea ended up being harder than expected. Too many emotions and usual circumstances getting in the way. She probably made a few wrong decisions, but a fledgling like her was never in charge of anything important. Each mistake was an opportunity to improve for the next time. As long as she didn't give up, everything should work out.