The Octopus Queen (A Little Mermaid Retelling)

A story of love, power, betrayal, and the corruption of an innocent soul.
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Melusine "Sina" Fisher grows up in the seaside village of Farbarrow, the only daughter of a widower father. Although bright and precocious, the limited curriculum provided by the village school leads Sina to be branded as "difficult" by her teacher and treated accordingly. All that changes when Sina saves a rare black octopus from a group of village boys. As thanks for her help, the octopus promises to grant the child one wish:

"I want to learn."

And so begins Sina's magical education. As she grows, so do her powers. With her reputation expanding beyond Farbarrow's narrow borders, Sina attracts the attention of Viscount Klaus Zeimet who captures her heart with a dashing smile and kind eyes.

But not all noblemen's sons are gentlemen and happily-ever-afters can disappear in a puff of smoke.

Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid".

[NaNoWriMo 2022]

Cover designed by @lavendareyes