Summary: We all know Dr. Facilier as 'The Shadow Man', but that's only later in his life. So whose the true man within the shadows?

My friend and I were watching 'The Princess and the Frog' and I said, "I wish I knew what made him so evil." My friend responded as,"Perhaps he had a really messed up begining. After all, no one becomes that evil overnight." and more things that I cannot say without spoiling this story.

WARNING: I don't own the movie, nor the characters, but I do own this plot line.

Chapter One: 'Dem Special Eyes

It was humid and warm that Thursday night in thedead of summer, the crickets and other miscellaneous creatures singing loudly in the heart of the bayou. Somewhere in the vast swamp a woman was screaming, and had been for hours. After one window-shattering shriek her screams turned to breathless sighs of relief, a baby's wail ringing out soon after.

"Ooh, cher, look'a dat hansom' face'a his!" The baby's mother, Clairice, cood. She held the newborn tight to her bosom, looking at his small baby cried only once, then remained quiet. The fourteen people crammed into the small room were worried of that fact. A parade of Why ain't he cryin's filled the room.

"Why won't the baby wake up, grandma?" a girl of seven years asked her Nana, who looked down upon the youngling with worried, aged eyes. The mother of the child, Teresa, looked blindly upon her mother with fear.

"What's wrong wit' him, momma? Is it breathin'? Oh dear Lord, mama what's wrong?" she asked frantically, her tired, blurred eyes looking for her newborn. Sweat dripped down her face, making her dark features glisten in the light of the midnight moon that shone brightly out of the small window.

It had been an especially hard pragnancy. Teresa had lost two children after the birth of her only daughter, Sharlamane, four years prior. Sharlamane died in an accidental tangle with an alagator. They were especially worried that this child would perish as well, and the family didn't want her to go through that again.

It also didn't help that the other children left her frail and clinging to life. It was amazing that she had gone this far, but everyone in the room knew she was going to die that night. Teresa's husband, Charles, hadn't wanted the child because of that fact. Now, with both of them clinging to life, the family was worried neither were going to make it through the next few moments.

The child hadn't opened its eyes, yet the gurgling in its throat made that worry dissipate as well. Tears spilled from Teresa's eyes as she heard this. Her eyes slowly came into focus again, and she rested her eyes upon the child in her mothers arms. Clairice handed the child to its mother and the small figure moved without a noise into her arms. She looked upon his handsome, new face with a mixture of pride and sorrow. Pride that he had made it into this world. Sorrow because she wouldn't be able to see him grow.

She looked out the window and at the moon. To the left, a large star sat bright and beautiful. She already felt her grip on life fading, yet she kept fighting. "Evening star..." she whispered fraily, the entire family now looking out the window and at the burning beacon in the sky. "If... if I'm not to make it through... through this night I-I beg you... please... let my son live... Let Hector live..." Thirteen other prayers of the same flew silently out of the window at to the star named Evangeline. She looked down at her baby boy again.

"Ch-... Charles." she called for her husband, who came to her side in an instant. He held her free hand and pressed her palm gently to his lips.

"Yeah baby?" he asked with a hidden mask of sorrow. She was the love of his life and was losing her fast. He truly tried to not hate the baby, but could feel his resentment already mulling within him.

"Take care'a him, Facilier. I mean it." she said as sternly as she could. He nodded unwillingly, promising anything to her.

The baby began to thrash and cry in his mother's arms as his eyes suddenly burst open. Dark brown eyes slowly melted into dark violet, then lightened into its light violet where it remained. He cried as clear as a bell, and his once scrawny state had been replaced with a fully healthy body. The family looked on with mute shock as this happened.

"Look'a 'dem eyes, momma." one of the men in the room gasped in astonishment.

"Those are 'dem seeing eyes. 'Dem special eyes. That boy's got da gift." she whispered in amazement as Teresa's head turned to look back at Evangeline.

"Thank you Evening Star..." she whispered, turning her head back to Charles, whose strong brown eyes bore tears.

"Take care'a Hector for me... I love you..." a smile plastered itself on her hark, thin lips.

"L-love you too..." he whispered, kissing her gently. She chuckled gently and kissed her newborns head, which had gone still long enough for her to do so. He peered back at her with a look that was beyond his short life, those violet eyes burning with intensity as if he understood what was happening. Perhaps he did; he was smart. She smiled.

"Love you too... my lil baby boy... be good now Hector... Be good..."

And then she floated into oblivion.

How was that? My first chapters are always the worst, so please bear with me.

Please read on and review!

~ILJA~