The Octopus Queen (A Little Mermaid Retelling)

1 - Farbarrow

PART ONE -- THE APPRENTICE

"Melusine is smart, but she lacks focus." Miss Templeton's voice drifts out into the hall.

"As I've told you before, Miss Templeton, your lessons are boring her," Papa argues softly. "If you could only move her up a grade or two ..."

Even through the door, I can hear Miss Templeton click her tongue patronizingly. Drawing my skinny legs up to my chest, I hug my arms around them. "And as I have told you, Mr Fisher, we simply do not have the resources to accommodate a student as ... advanced as Melusine. She will simply have to abide by the current curriculum until she naturally moves to Miss Kesseler's classroom."

I sigh and pull at the hem of my blue dress. Miss Templeton is telling Papa the same thing she told me earlier. There really aren't that many students in Miss Kesseler's classroom, so I really don't understand why the teachers are being difficult. Well, only one teacher is being difficult.

"Perhaps Sina could borrow some of the upper-class textbooks? She was allowed to do that before."

"No!" Miss Templeton exclaims sharply. "We follow the Rewenig Method of teaching here, Mr Fisher, and that means that students stay with their peers and study the appropriate material. It is improper for ten-year-olds to interact with older students."

Rewenig! Rewenig!

I hate that blasted name. Ever since Miss Trausch was let go last year, I've been miserable. Almost as miserable as when Mama died. At least that misery doesn't sit with me as deeply as listening to Miss Templeton.

Papa's sigh echoes through the room. "Miss Templeton—"

"Have you thought of remarrying? A man should not be raising a child alone."

My head jerks up. What?

"Excuse me?" Papa replies, confused.

"Rewenig states if a child does not have a proper family structure, they cannot excel in the classroom."

Silence from Papa.

Miss Templeton continues, "Do you want your daughter to fail, Mr Fisher?"

"Of course not!"

"Then you must do your duty and secure yourself a wife. Once Melusine has a proper womanly figure at home, I am certain she will settle down and be a perfect student."

A chair scrapes back. "Mr Fisher, we are not done!" Miss Templeton exclaims, horrified.

I jump to my feet as the door to the classroom is wrenched open and Papa stalks into the hall. "Yes, we are," he tells the teacher sternly. "Come, Sina!" He reaches out and grabs me by the hand, fairly dragging me out of the schoolhouse. I catch a brief glimpse of Miss Templeton's pinched face before we leave.

Papa and I step out into the refreshing sea air, a welcome respite from the stifling schoolhouse. Another one of Miss Templeton's changes involves keeping the windows closed because of some absurd notion that fresh air disturbs concentration. Only when the village parents complained some of my classmates were fainting at their desks in early summer did vile Miss Templeton relent and allow the windows to be opened a crack. Still not enough, however.

Seagulls cry as they ride the breeze coming off the ocean, following the ships as they come in for the day. I yank the blue ribbon from my hair and allow the thick black locks to cascade behind me. I feel free. Papa's hand is tightly wrapped around mine and I look up at my father. "Are you all right, Papa?"

Papa blinks and stops, releasing my hand. He looks tired, I realize. There are lines on his face and grey is sprinkled throughout his short-cropped black hair. His expression changes swiftly, lips curling upwards in a small smile.