Magnus was in trouble. The soldiers had caught him with the pendant, and they took him to the queen. He was tied up, and he looked very funny in his colorful clothes. The soldiers looked angry and suspicious, and they pushed him into the queen's room.
The queen was waiting for him, and she looked worried and serious. She wanted to find her daughter, and she did not have time for jokes. She saw Magnus, and she frowned. He looked like a clown, not a sorcerer.
Magnus smiled nervously, and he tried to act cool. He said, "Your Majesty, I'm sorry to bother you, but I have a little problem."
The queen stared at him, and she said, "What are you doing with that pendant, sorcerer? Do you know what it is?"
Magnus took a deep breath, and he made up a story. He said, "Your Majesty, I'm a big fan of Princess Lila. She's so beautiful and smart, and I love her like a sister. Well, not like a sister, because that would be weird. But you know what I mean."
The soldiers looked at each other, and they whispered. They did not believe him. Magnus went on, and he pretended to be sad. He said, "When I heard that she was gone, I was heartbroken. I wanted to find her, and I wanted to help you. I'm a good guy, really."
The queen looked at him, and she felt a little sorry for him. She said, "And how did you find the pendant?"
Magnus, seeing his chance, put on a show. He said, "Your Majesty, I found the pendant in a secret place. I think it has a magic power, and it can lead us to Princess Lila. I took it, because I wanted to use it for good. I'm sorry, I didn't know it was yours. Please forgive me, and let me help you. I would do anything for Princess Lila, because she's like my family. Well, not like my family, because they're all crazy. But you know what I mean."
The room was quiet, and the soldiers looked confused. They did not know what to think. The queen, caught in Magnus's lies, paused for a moment. She said, "Very well, sorcerer. If you really want to help me find my daughter, I will let you go for now. But don't think you can fool me. I'm watching you, and so are the soldiers."
Magnus smiled, and he said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. You're very kind and wise, and I admire you. Well, not like I admire Princess Lila, because that would be awkward. But you know what I mean."
The queen nodded, and she said, "Enough, sorcerer. Just do your job, and don't cause any trouble."
Magnus said, "Of course, Your Majesty. I won't let you down, I promise. Well, not like I promised Princess Lila, because that would be a lie. But you know what I mean."
The queen said, "Enough, sorcerer. Just go!"
Magnus said, "OK, OK, I'm going. Bye, Your Majesty. See you soon. Well, not like I'll see you soon with Princess Lila, because that would be..."
The queen said, "Go!"
Magnus said, "OK, OK, I'm gone. Bye, bye, bye."
He ran out of the room, with the pendant in his hand. He laughed to himself, and he thought, "That was fun. Well, not like it was fun with Princess Lila, because that would be..."
He stopped, and he said, "Wait, who is Princess Lila?"