No. XIII; or, The Story of the Lost Vestal

"No. XIII; or, The Story of the Lost Vestal" from Emma Marshall is a historical tale from the 1800s about a Vestal Virgin, known as Number Thirteen, who faces struggles between ancient pagan traditions and the rise of Christianity. Set in Roman Britain, the story looks at themes of dedication, sacrifice, and the challenges faced by women in a changing world. We begin in a quiet city as people gather to watch an execution as, inside a Roman noble's home, his wife, his daughter and their British slave deal with their own feelings about the Christian persecution, hinting at struggles to come.