Alter Ego

There once was a humble servant at the royal palace. He was beautifull and kind. eveyone who met him loven him for his open and trusting nature. 

The emperor noticed his beauty and they fell deeply in love. meeting in secret at night they declared their feelings for eachother. But the emperor was a proud man and dispite his geniune love he made the man promise not to speak of it to anyone else.

The servant did his best to keep his new found love to himself. And for a while he did, but giddy with love, at some point he just couldn't contain himself. He had to tell someone! He decided to whisper his secret to a trusted friend.

But his friend betrayed him. Soon rumours started spreading. The emperor could not proclaim his love publically ordered his lover punished. The man was arrested for spreading lies. 

For his crimes, the man was skinned alive and left tied up waiting to die. He cried out in pain and grief and his cries could be heard all the way in the heavenly palace.

The heavens see his suffering and weep. They embrace the man, for his only sin was one of honesty and love. They take him to the heavenly palace where he becomes a patron of honest love. the flayed mans bare skin symbolises his forthright nature.