Governor Swann grabbed a glass of water from the table and drank it in a hurry. After witnessing something like that, his dry throat was hardly surprising. His hands were still unsteady as he set the glass down.
Norrington, on the other hand, kept his distance.
The man who had moments ago been eager to arrest Daniel—eager enough to speak of fire and stakes—now stood several steps back. His posture was rigid, his expression tight, as if moving any closer might be a very poor decision.
Neither of them spoke.
The reality had settled in.
Whatever Daniel was, he was far beyond accusations, far beyond courts or punishments. And both men understood it now—even if neither of them was quite ready to say it aloud.
"Umm… then," Governor Swann said carefully, choosing his words with visible effort, "if—if you would tell us, Your Excellency… what is it that you want?"
It wasn't reverence born of faith. It was born out of fear.
"Nothing," Daniel said simply. "I was bored. Wandering around. Then I found your daughter interesting… so I took her on an adventure."
He added, almost as an afterthought, "And you don't need to be so formal. Relax."
Governor Swann attempted a smile. It came out strained.
Relax? He was being asked to relax by a man who had just proven—quite convincingly—that ordinary rules did not apply to him. One did not relax when standing opposite something that could, at will, rewrite the situation entirely.
And interesting?
The word lingered uncomfortably.
Should he feel honored that his daughter had caught the attention of a being who spoke so casually of power? Or alarmed that such attention had been paid at all? He honestly could not decide which thought troubled him more.
"Father, you should leave," Elizabeth said quickly.
She was watching Daniel's face as she spoke. She'd learned—far too quickly—to recognize that particular look of his. If she didn't intervene now, he would say something wildly inappropriate, utterly sincere, and impossible to take back.
Something like announcing he'd come to ask for her hand as if it were a casual errand.
Governor Swann hesitated, confused, but Elizabeth was already guiding him toward the door with gentle insistence. Norrington followed close behind, casting Daniel one last hard look before stepping out after the Governor.
The door closed.
Daniel didn't even try to hide his disappointment.
"What?" he said mildly. "I was just thinking of talking to your father about our future."
Elizabeth let out a long, tired sigh. "Of course you were."
She was already used to this—his teasing, his complete lack of restraint, the way he said outrageous things as though they were the most natural thoughts in the world.
And worse, she could see his intentions clearly now. He didn't bother hiding them.
She turned to face him, shaking her head. "You really don't know when to stop, do you?"
He smiled, unapologetic.
Elizabeth felt herself relax despite her annoyance. She hated that part most of all.
Because somewhere along the way—between pirates, curses, impossible truths, and stolen moments at sea—she had started to enjoy his company.
Life around him was unpredictable, overwhelming, and often infuriating… but it was never dull.
And compared to the rigid, suffocating world she'd known before, it felt alive.
She didn't say that out loud.
But Daniel seemed to know anyway.
"By the way—" Daniel began.
He stopped mid-sentence.
Notifications flooded his vision, one after another, stacking so fast they blurred together.
[Daniel, it's serious. Come back immediately.]
[This is not a drill.]
[Serious.]
Daniel blinked once. Then again.
"…What the hell?" he muttered.
The casual edge in his voice was gone. His jaw tightened, eyes fixed on something only he could see.
Elizabeth noticed instantly.
"What happened?" she asked, stepping closer. "You look—" She searched for the word. "Worried."
Daniel exhaled slowly. Is Evelyn in danger? The thought hit sharper than he liked.
He looked at Elizabeth, really looked at her, as if measuring time.
"Didn't you say," he asked quietly, "that you wanted to see other worlds?"
She frowned. "Yes… but what does that have to do with—"
"So?" he said simply.
"So?" she echoed, more confused now than alarmed.
Daniel stood up.
"We're going to another world," he said.
Before she could respond, the air behind him twisted. Light folded in on itself, forming a blue, circular portal that hummed softly, like distant wind through stone.
Another world? Elizabeth thought, startled. They had only just spoken of it… and now he was actually going?
Daniel could return to the Mummy world immediately—but from there, coming back to the Pirates of the Caribbean world would trigger a one month cooldown before he could return again.
"I should… talk to my father," Elizabeth said, her voice uncertain.
Daniel shook his head, calm and certain. "No need. We'll leave word—and return in a month's time."
Before she could question that, faint blue light traced itself across the cabin wall. Letters formed as if written by an invisible hand, neat and unmistakably familiar.
Daddy, I'm going on a trip for a month.
—Elizabeth
Elizabeth stared at it, torn between disbelief and a quiet laugh. "That's it?" she asked. "After everything?"
Daniel smiled. "Short messages worry people less," he said. "Long explanations invite panic."
Before Elizabeth could reply, he reached out and took her hand.
The blue portal behind him stirred, its surface rippling like water touched by light.
"Daniel—" she started, but the word caught in her throat.
The next instant, he stepped forward and vanished into the glow.
Elizabeth gasped, shock flashing across her face as the pull followed immediately. The room stretched, light bending around her vision, dissolving into blue and white.
*****
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