One rabbit. One map. Far too many roads 🤍💙❤️
Lumier adjusted his glasses and took another look at the map.
“Wait a minute…”
He turned it to the left.
Then to the right.
“My Academy… check. The Library… check. Solenara Labs… check.”
A pause.
“But… The Land of Morgan’s Journey?!”
Lumier’s eyes widened.
“THIS CAN’T BE HAPPENING!”
He stared at the map again, as though the missing land might suddenly appear.
“DID I REALLY FORGET TO PUT THE VERY LAND WHERE WE ALL LIVE ON MY MAP?!”
He pressed both paws to his forehead.
“Extraordinary! I’ve mapped almost all of Lunaria… and forgotten where I live!”
A pause.
“And I’m the head of Lumier Academy…”
He sighed deeply.
“If Pico finds out, he’ll open an official investigation.”
Lumier looked around, spotted a tree stump, and sat down with the map on his lap.
“Right… let’s see. Perhaps if I remember everyone who lives at Home, I’ll remember where Home is…”
Lumier settled the map on his lap and began tapping his pencil gently against its edge.
“Right… let’s think. Who lives at Home?”
“Well, first of all, Serafina and Tata. Of course! They’re the ones who built the House. Although, between you and me, I’m not entirely convinced they know how many little houses we have at the moment.”
Lumier smiled.
“And Morgan… Ah, Morgan! If I went looking for her, I’d probably find her coloring, with twenty pencils scattered all around. An extraordinary little girl. She never rushes to finish a drawing just because someone else is in a hurry to see it.”
He paused.
“Speaking of being in a hurry… Aurora!”
Lumier instinctively checked his pockets.
“The last time I saw her, she explained, very seriously, that her three little ducks — Zarina, Aristotel, and Isadora — needed to hold a meeting. I have no idea what they decided. But Aristotel looked deeply dissatisfied.”
“And wherever Aurora is, Milo is almost certainly nearby. That little badger has remarkable patience. Personally, I suspect Aurora and Milo will one day reorganize the whole of Lunaria.”
A pause.
“Without consulting us, naturally.”
Lumier rested his pencil against his chin.
“Iura! Of course! Or Sir Tumbulius, whenever the occasion calls for a certain degree of solemnity. We still haven’t established who decides when an occasion is sufficiently solemn. I suspect Iura does.”
He smiled again.
“And Asher and Thea… The twins! Extraordinary children. They’re not even three years old, and they’ve already demonstrated that two such tiny people can produce a truly astonishing amount of noise.”
Lumier glanced toward the surrounding trees.
“Ury! Ah, Ury! Our little boy has answers to questions we haven’t even thought to ask. Sometimes they’re brilliant answers. Other times, we first have to work out what question he’s answering.”
Lumier chuckled softly.
“And Alesia… If I needed someone to tell me exactly what I’m feeling right now, she’d probably find the perfect words.”
He looked down at the map again.
“Although, in my case, the diagnosis is fairly straightforward: severe geographical confusion.”
A pause.
“Is there a cure?”
Lumier adjusted his glasses.
“I should ask Tata.”
He stopped abruptly.
“No. On second thought, perhaps not. The last time Serafina and Tata tried to solve a problem, two more little badgers appeared.”
He stared at the map.
“Idris and Hanna. Absolutely adorable, of course.”
“But I’m beginning to think this map should be made of something… stretchable.”
Lumier stared at the map for a long moment.
“Something stretchable… Yes. That might work.”
He dipped the tip of his pencil into the ink, then stopped.
“Astrid! Of course! She could build me a map that expands all by itself. She’s a brilliant engineer. Although, knowing her, she’d probably add a lighting system, three buttons, and an alarm to warn me whenever Serafina and Tata bring someone new Home.”
A pause.
“That alarm would be terribly busy.”
Lumier smiled and resumed tapping his pencil gently against the map.
“And Lady Catastrophina… Ah, Lady! If she saw the state of this map, she’d probably declare it an aesthetic disaster. Then she’d demand that it be remade in silk, with embroidered edges and a matching case.”
He glanced down at his own purple coat.
“I do hope my outfit would pass inspection.”
“Speaking of outfits… Mr. Gimp!”
Lumier straightened his back, unconsciously imitating the fashion designer’s aristocratic posture.
“A gentleman of unquestionable elegance. He can’t even walk to the end of the path without his top hat, lorgnette, pocket watch, and decorative cane.”
A pause.
“And, of course, without Bucefal and Nelson. Two magnificent stallions who pull his burgundy carriage.”
Lumier sighed.
“The last time I asked Mr. Gimp for directions, he gave me an entire speech about the importance of proper sartorial orientation.”
He looked at his map.
“I never found out where I was supposed to go, but I did learn that my scarf was entirely inappropriate for that particular hour of the day.”
Lumier let out a little laugh.
“Pablo! I wonder what Pablo is up to now?”
He paused, resting his pencil against his chin.
“And Master Rimarila… I’m quite certain that if I asked him for help, I’d receive a truly memorable explanation. I’m not entirely convinced it would fit on this map, though.”
He lifted his gaze toward the sky.
“Thorin and Elyria… How lovely it is to think of them! Some souls remind you that this world still holds so much waiting to be discovered.”
Lumier smiled.
“And then there’s Pufi, Liri, Lori, Lumipaf, Nimi, and Tibi…”
He began counting them on his paws.
Stopped.
Counted again.
“Extraordinary! I haven’t even started drawing their little houses, and I’ve already run out of fingers!”
A pause.
“Perhaps I should borrow a few from Pico. He always seems to have enough for his calculations.”
Lumier lowered his eyes to the map.
“Axel and Alistar… Ah, the boys of the Scriptoria family! If I ever lost this map, I’m certain they could write an entire chronicle about its disappearance.”
He considered this for a moment.
“In fact, Axel would probably call it The Mystery of the Cartographer Who Forgot His Own Address.”
A pause.
“I sincerely hope it never goes to print.”
Lumier leaned back against the tree.
“And let’s not forget Lumier…”
He stopped.
Looked at the map.
Blinked.
“Wait a minute.”
A pause.
“I AM LUMIER!”
He pressed a paw to his forehead.
“Extraordinary! I’ve been thinking about almost everyone in the family, and I nearly forgot to include myself!”
He looked toward the Solenara House, then smiled with unexpected tenderness.
“Well… I think I’m beginning to understand.”
He rested his pencil on the map.
“Our Home isn’t difficult to find because it’s hidden.”
“It’s difficult to draw because there are so many lives within it.”
Lumier remained thoughtful for a few moments.
Then he adjusted his glasses.
“Right. Now that we’ve established where I live…”
He unfolded the map once more.
“LET’S SEE IF I’VE AT LEAST REMEMBERED TO INCLUDE THE OTHER LANDS!”
A pause.
“I have a rather unpleasant feeling about this.”
Lumier was just about to fold his map when he suddenly froze.
“Wait a minute…”
“Morgan… Aurora… Iura… Mr. Gimp… Axel…”
He checked his notes.
“COUNTESS ALBINA!!!”
His pencil slipped from his paw.
“DID I FORGET COUNTESS ALBINA?!”
He stared in horror toward Sempiterna Hill.
“Extraordinary! I’ve forgotten to put the largest land in Lunaria on my map, and now I’ve forgotten the Castle of the Silver Fur, home of the Countess of Mysteries!”
A pause.
“If Albina finds out, the greatest mystery of all will be where Lumier has disappeared to!”
He swallowed.
“No, no, no… There must be a diplomatic solution!”
He pulled out his notebook.
“Perhaps I could say I left the castle off the map for reasons of confidentiality…”
A pause.
“Yes! She’s the Countess of Mysteries! Naturally, I can’t reveal where she lives!”
Lumier began to smile, delighted by his own ingenuity.
“Extraordinary! A perfectly reasonable explanation!”
From behind a nearby tree came a calm voice.
“Lumier, my dear… my castle has approximately forty towers and can be seen from miles away.”
Lumier closed his eyes.
“…Countess Albina?”
“Yes, Lumier.”
“How long have you been standing there?”
“Long enough.”
A pause.
“Did you hear the part about confidentiality?”
“Every word.”
Lumier looked up at the sky.
“TATAAAAA! I THINK I NEED A LAWYER!!!”
Countess Albina looked at him with amusement.
“Lumier, my dear, there’s really no need for a lawyer.”
“Of course, Countess! I wasn’t seriously considering one!”
A pause.
“It’s just that… in the interest of maintaining excellent diplomatic relations, I believe it would be wise to continue my geographical research a little farther away.”
“How much farther, Lumier?”
The little rabbit hurriedly consulted his map.
“THE LAND OF MERRY STARS!”
Albina smiled.
“Have a lovely journey, my dear!”
“Thank you, Countess! And I assure you, the omission of your castle was purely… cartographic!”
Lumier hurried off.
After a few steps, he glanced over his shoulder.
“I believe I handled that situation with remarkable diplomatic elegance.”
A pause.
“Although it might be wise not to return too soon.”
Upon reaching the Land of Merry Stars, Lumier breathed a sigh of relief.
“Ahhh! At last! A peaceful place, full of light and dear friends!”
He unfolded his map.
“Let’s see… Raza Solenara!”
Lumier broke into a wide smile.
“Ah, Raza! Sometimes I wonder whether any map could ever be beautiful enough to hold all the light this little girl brings into the world. And Lisandra… Of course! We couldn’t possibly think of Raza without remembering her, too.”
He adjusted his glasses.
“Sir Ghindorel and the Little Souls! What a wonderful family! I wonder if Sir Ghindorel could explain how he manages to keep everything in order in a world so full of little souls.”
A pause.
“Actually, no. Perhaps I shouldn’t ask. He might give me a position.”
Lumier continued studying the map.
“Buni Amal… Ah, Buni Amal!”
His smile softened.
“Some people make you feel as though you’ve already come Home, simply by thinking of them. Buni Amal is one of those people.”
“And Maeria, naturally! And My Lord! Extraordinary… I’m beginning to think this land needs an entirely separate map just for the family connections!”
Lumier looked up.
“Sir Cânturel, Aria, and Igor!”
He raised a paw to his ear.
“Hmm… Is that music I hear?”
A pause.
“No. I believe it’s just my imagination. But knowing them, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if an ordinary visit turned into a full-blown performance!”
Lumier folded his map with satisfaction.
“Excellent! A wonderful land, inhabited by extraordinary souls, and not a single diplomatic incident!”
He suddenly stopped.
“Wait a minute…”
He unfolded the map again.
Studied it.
Turned it around.
“WHERE IS THE LAND OF MERRY STARS?!”
A long pause.
Lumier slowly removed his glasses.
“No.”
He put them back on.
“No, no, no…”
He looked up at the sky.
“TATAAAAA! I’VE FORGOTTEN THIS LAND TOO!!!”
He sat down on a rock.
“Extraordinary! I fled a diplomatic incident only to find myself in the middle of a cartographic disaster!”
A pause.
“I think I need a holiday.”
He considered this for a moment.
“The Land of Water Lilies! Yes! Peaceful lakes, beautiful flowers, a wonderfully regal atmosphere…”
He quickly gathered his belongings.
“Surely I’ll find some peace and quiet there.”
And with that, he set off determinedly toward the Land of Water Lilies.
Little did he know, of course, that waiting for him there were…
TWO QUEENS.
Lumier arrived in the Land of Water Lilies and stopped beside a lake.
“Ahhh… Such peace! Such beauty! Water lilies, crystal-clear waters, a gentle breeze…”
He took a deep breath.
“At last! Somewhere I can give my cartographic nervous system a rest!”
He unfolded his map.
“Let’s see… Queen Alba and Queen Neagra.”
A pause.
Lumier blinked.
“Alba… and Neagra…”
He looked again.
“TWO QUEENS?!”
He pressed a paw to his forehead.
“Extraordinary! I left a countess behind in search of some peace and quiet, and I’ve ended up in a land with two queens!”
He glanced around nervously.
“I do hope I haven’t forgotten to put their majesties on the map.”
A pause.
“Actually, I think it would be wiser not to check.”
Lumier gathered up his map and took a step backward.
“I have absolutely nothing against the monarchy. Quite the opposite! I hold it in the highest regard!”
He glanced toward the lake once more.
“But I’ve had quite enough diplomatic relations for one little rabbit today.”
He thought for a moment.
“I know! The Mountains of Lunaria!”
His eyes lit up.
“Fresh air! Magnificent views! And, above all, no diplomatic incidents!”
He set off with determination.
After following woodland paths and mountain trails, Lumier stopped to admire the scenery.
“Ah, wonderful! The Mountains of Lunaria! Now I can finally breathe!”
He removed his glasses, polished them carefully, and gazed toward the distant peaks.
“Avelora and Lunima… How lovely it is to think of them! Some souls remind you that mountains aren’t merely heights to be climbed, but places where extraordinary discoveries await.”
Lumier smiled.
“And Valen and Sclipici! Ah, my dears!”
He stopped abruptly.
“Sclipici…”
He glanced down at his purple coat.
“I do hope he won’t find me looking utterly disheveled after all these geographical incidents.”
A pause.
“Although, knowing him, he’d probably manage to turn even a cartographic disaster into an adventure!”
Lumier unfolded his map.
“Right! Let’s see where we are…”
He studied it.
Turned it around.
Studied it again.
A long pause.
“No.”
He removed his glasses.
“This can’t be happening.”
He put them back on.
“HAVE I FORGOTTEN THE MOUNTAINS OF LUNARIA TOO?!”
He sat down on a rock.
“Extraordinary! I came to the mountains to clear my head, and now even the mountains don’t exist on my map!”
A pause.
“I’m beginning to think the problem isn’t geographical.”
He eyed the map suspiciously.
“I THINK THIS MAP HAS SOMETHING PERSONAL AGAINST ME!”
Lumier sighed deeply.
Then he straightened his back.
“That’s it! Enough! I must return to Lumier Academy!”
He stood up resolutely.
“There I have my office, my books, my documents…”
A pause.
“And, if I’m lucky, a map that actually includes the places I’ve been!”
He gathered his belongings and hurried off.
After a few steps, he stopped.
“Oh! And before I go, there’s something else I must tell you.”
He turned toward the visitor.
“Lunaria has many other wonderful places, too: The Land of Fluffy Clouds, The Meadow of Childhood, The Sea of Merry Waves, and The Land of Father Frost.”
Lumier smiled.
“But I’ll tell you about those another time.”
A pause.
“Preferably once I have an updated map.”
He adjusted his glasses.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really must get to the Academy.”
He looked down at the map again.
“My Academy is right here.”
He smiled triumphantly.
“AT LAST! A PLACE THAT ACTUALLY EXISTS!!!”
He set off at a cheerful pace.
A few moments later, his voice echoed from the distance:
“SERAFINAAAA! TATAAAAA! WHO MOVED MY ACADEMY?!”
A few moments later, Lumier reappeared on the path.
He had his folded map tucked under one arm and wore an expression of profound academic dignity.
“I’ve solved the problem. The Academy hadn’t been moved.”
A pause.
“I was holding the map upside down.”
He adjusted his glasses.
“In any case, I do hope you’ve enjoyed meeting some of Lunaria’s wonderful inhabitants!”
“If you’d like to discover more about our family, I warmly invite you to explore THE SOLENARA FAMILY.”
“And if you’d prefer to return to where our journey began, you can always head back HOME — THE HOUSE OF STORIES.”
Lumier smiled and gave a little bow.
“Thank you for accompanying me! It’s been an absolute pleasure to be your guide!”
He was just about to leave.
Then he suddenly turned around.
“Oh! And one more thing!”
He lowered his voice.
“If you happen to run into Pico, please don’t tell him I was holding the map upside down.”
A pause.
“And if you happen to see Countess Albina…”
Lumier glanced nervously over his shoulder.
“TELL HER I’M AT THE ACADEMY!”
He clutched the map to his chest.
“THIS TIME, I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE IT IS!”
❤️❤️❤️
