Three days has passed since Dr. Facilier's offer to Charlotte La Bouff. Cooped up in the La Bouff estate, Charlotte hides herself in her bedroom. Lying on her bed, she turns to face the ceiling and huffs out a heavy sigh. Although it is late in the morning, she has not dressed for the day and still wears her nightgown.
One of the French doors to her balcony is slightly ajar, letting in a cool, humid breeze. Her room illuminates with the color pink; the color is in the wallpaper, drapes, carpet, bedding, anything you can think of, the color pink is a guarantee. The French style mansion accents her tastes with gold columns and gold crown molding. She remembers pleading with her father to have the accents done in pink as well, but her dad, Eli 'Big Daddy' La Bouff, refused. Seeing them now as an adult, she knows her dad is right and agrees that it would have been too much.
"About our deal, I'm askin' you to consider it."
Facilier's husky voice echoes in her head.
What kind of deal is that? There is no way she is going to marry Dr. Facilier. The Shadow Man. He is definitely lying. There is no proof that he is a prince, and all he wants is Big Daddy's fortune.
"I was born at night but not last night!" Charlotte exclaims to herself throwing a pillow across the room. It hits her folding screen, nearly knocking it over.
Plenty of men has played the pretend prince with her. How is he any different from the rest of them?
But surely this isn't her only way to obtain her dream, is it? The Shadow Man who dwells in the realm of the beyond foretelling futures and dreams with a seemingly all knowing eye can surely determine a different outcome can't he?
"Marry me."
She hears his words again.
Charlotte remembers that she was warned by rumors on the streets, recalling that the Shadow Man always wants something in return. She thinks about how confident and how sure of herself she was since she has so much to offer; jewels, mansions, money! But her hand in marriage? Anything but that!
A vision of his purple eyes dance across her mind. Remembering his touch, she looks down at her hand. Then sticking out her bottom lip, Charlotte crosses her arms expelling the memory from her head.
"That proposal was an absolute tragedy!" she states. Of all the things that bother her, this is the cherry on top. Proposing to a girl in that setting! In a dusty old parlor with nothing to sweep her off her feet except for the broom that he so desperately needs! The skulls on his shelves as their witnesses! No way! No how!
Now...Charlotte understands that everyone has different living styles. Status and wealth affects everyone and, her best friend, Tiana, always reminds her every day that people live drastically different lives when it comes to money.
She just thinks that his proposal could have had a little more...effort. He could have given her flowers! Or plan to propose at the park! No. This is the Shadow Man we're talking about. And why is she thinking of giving him a chance anyway?
Shaking her head, Charlotte stands from her bed and dives into her closet, assessing her ensemble for the day. This time she will give Dr. Facilier a piece of her mind.
She recalls having to convince her escort to not say a word to her father about her whereabouts and having to persuade him to stay in the car. The way she sees it, she put in so much effort to make her dream come true, and this is the offer she is given?
She plans to march into that emporium and let him know that there is no changing her mind.
The mumbles coming from outside distract Facilier from his thoughts. He walks closer to his front door and hears Charlotte's voice.
"Now, listen here, Shadow Man! I decline your offer! And that's my final answer!" Charlotte says loudly.
He slowly opens the door and sees her rehearsing her speech with the statue outside his shop. Normally, the figure with a thousand pins stuck to it tends to scare his patrons, therefore, he respects those who have the willpower to stride past it, let alone interact with it. Amused, he watches a little longer.
"I, Charlotte La Bouff, will neva' eva' marry you!" she declares crossing her arms and smiling proudly.
His clapping and laughter startles her.
She quickly turns her gaze toward him and sees his long figure leaning against the doorframe, arms held out applauding her performance.
Charlotte's cheeks flush with embarrassment.
"Well, that was quite the show, cher," Facilier says. "You deserve a break after that! Come on in." The door opens fully as he gestures toward the dark den.
Still a little flustered, Charlotte regains her confidence and flips her hair at Facilier.
She forces a laugh and says, "O' course! I'm a bona fide diva!"
Charlotte reminds herself of the reason why she came and tries to keep calm.
"And I am not goin' inside your little...shop. You can say that I'm not a customer today."
He catches a hint of roses before walking back inside.
"Suit yourself. You can keep Lapointe company," he says nonchalantly.
That thing's got a name? Charlotte stares back at her acting companion, and a cold chill runs down her spine.
"Now, hold on a sec'!"
She runs in after Facilier slamming the door behind her.
The emporium is before her again. The thick curtains are drawn this time enveloping everything in darkness. Charlotte takes a step forward letting her eyes adapt to the dark.
There is something different inside this time. Everything seems...less. Charlotte notices less relics, an emptiness near the back where the lines on the wooden floor shape out a missing desk, and a single mask hangs on the wall above. Its companions are gone, but this one is different from the former mask with the black horns. This mask contains humanistic features that help Charlotte identify a nose, cheekbones, eyes and an open gaping mouth. The round table from the last time is still there along with the chairs. The memory of the shrunken head comes to her, and she shivers.
"Hello?" Charlotte calls out. She ponders his sudden disappearance.
Dr. Facilier steps out from behind a curtain revealing a smaller hidden room near the back. Charlotte questions how he travels so quickly but then reminds herself that she is dealing with the Shadow Man.
"Miss Charlotte," he says looking behind her.
Facilier strolls past her to inspect the doorknob on his front door.
"Afraid Lapointe was gonna' chase after you, my dear? There was no need to slam my door."
He opens and closes the door before the knob falls completely off and lands on the ground with a thump. The bright sunlight beams through the new hole. Facilier looks at Charlotte with a scowl gesturing toward its direction.
Biting her lip, Charlotte changes the topic.
"I see you've done some spring cleanin'!" she says taking a seat at the table, turning away from her damages.
"I'm just gettin' things ready," Facilier says confidently. In an instant, he joins Charlotte at the table.
"Ready for what?"
"Our marriage," Facilier answers promptly.
Charlotte looks at Facilier with pity. "Well, I neva'. I know you heard what I said outside! You still haven't given up, have you? It's been three days, sugar!"
Shaking her head, she says, "I won't keep you waitin' any longer. I hope I didn't get your hopes up too much, but I said it before and I will say it again, I do decline."
Shrugging his shoulder, Facilier replies with a hand in the air, "There goes your shot at bein' a princess."
"For your information, I don't need to be a princess to live the life I want!" Saying this aloud makes Charlotte's heart drop. She knows what she said is a lie.
"But what if you can live the life you want? It's your dream. Why would you want to give up on your dream when you're so close?" he persuades.
Hesitation lingers over Charlotte's face.
"So...you're sayin' this is my only choice? Don't you have some sort of voodoo magic that can change somethin'? Like givin' me an actual prince?" Charlotte pleads.
His purple eyes flicker at Charlotte which causes her to jolt. That's the look Facilier knows all too well. The look of desperation and selfishness; the plea in her eyes begging for an easy way out.
"I know my magic, and I know what it tells me," Facilier says with a bit of disappointment. "And I can't make a person appear out of thin air. Tell me, you simply just want the title of a princess, is that correct?" Facilier waves his right hand in the air dismissing Charlotte's answer. "But what makes you think a prince would want you for a bride?"
Charlotte feels her anger rising. "Why, a lady neva' boasts about herself! But I am the Charlotte La Bouff! What prince would eva' refuse my hand?" she demands steadily controlling her voice.
"So you would take any prince then? As long as he is a prince?" Facilier asks deliberately.
"Well...yes, of course!" Charlotte answers.
"No personality to take into account? You would marry a prince not knowin' if he would treat you...like a princess?" Facilier questions holding his palm out to Charlotte.
"No, you're wrong! We would fall in love!" Charlotte blurts.
Facilier scoffs at her statement. How naive.
Charlotte's face turns red. Now, he knows what her face looks like when she is embarrassed. He thinks about how gratifying he feels and wonders how far he can push her buttons.
Circling back to her first answer, Facilier says, "If you'll have any prince, cher, I believe I meet your...requirements."
A serious expression appears on Charlotte's face. She asks solemnly, "What-what about...love? Is that somethin' you're willin' to offer as well?"
Surprised to see another side of her, Facilier takes some time before answering. "You drive a hard bargain, Miss Charlotte. I tell you what, I'll agree that...I won't hurt you. I can't guarantee your safety, but no harm shall come upon you directly from me," he states.
They sit for a moment, Charlotte staring at him in disbelief. She catches herself and realizes that she almost came to an agreement with the Shadow Man; the complete opposite of her original intention. He really is a charismatic man.
"You're lyin'," she says.
"I don't lie, Miss Charlotte. People's dreams and expectations do it for me," Facilier states sternly.
She tries to calm herself despite gripping her skirt tightly in her hands. Then she remembers Facilier's lack of proof of his royal lineage besides his mother's shrunken head. If that even is his mother.
"If your mother was a royal," she says carefully, "then why do you have her head? How did you even come about such a...startlin' momento?"
"She was beheaded for her crimes, and I'm the bastard child that got away," Facilier replies indifferently.
Charlotte's mouth falls open. "What? How do I even know if that's true? I mean, you must have some other kind of proof!" Charlotte exclaims annoyed with Facilier's demeanor.
"And...that's-that's not the kind of prince I want!" Charlotte whines.
"A prince is a prince. Beggars can't be choosers," he says buffing his nails on his jacket. "Is my mother's head not proof enough? In the past, that's all it took."
Charlotte glares at Facilier.
"You just want my daddy's fortune," she says bluntly.
Pretending to be hurt, Facilier places a hand on his chest. "Why, I would never want somethin' like your daddy's fortune. Lest you forget, Miss Charlotte, you came to me. I'm simply offerin' my inheritance to you to make your dream come true, princess," he replies batting puppy eyes at her.
"Your offer is ridiculous!" Charlotte rises from her seat.
"And your proposal was atrocious! How can you ask a lady to be your wife in such a...such a shoddy manner!" Charlotte throws her hands into the air, notioning to everything around her.
"If you'll excuse me, we are done here!"
Charlotte turns away from Facilier and takes a step toward the exit. Something shiny catches her eye. The doorknob is fixed, almost like new.
She hears Facilier's voice behind her.
"Leavin' so soon? The best part's about to begin."