Alda and her father Prince Aldogern, had been brought into Rome as prisoners of war. This was after the Roman General Paulinus had defeated the British army that had been led by Prince Aldogern. Alda and her father were conducted to Rome where the Romans celebrated and cheered their army general because of the defeat of Britain. Alda’s father died in her arms and she was taken to the house of Marcus Lelius where she was enslaved.
Alda met slaves who the Romans had captured from other countries. They included Susanna who had been captured from Jerusalem and Zopha. Alda and the other slaves were put under Lelia who was Marcus Lelius’ daughter and their mistress. Susanna befriended Alda even though Alda was cold in turn. The other slaves were mean to Alda and refused to share their living quarters with her. She was then forced to sleep alone in a prison-like chamber where Susanna offered to be her companion. Alda in her defiance, broke the Roman household gods in the house. This breaking of household gods was considered an act that would result in bad tidings for the household by the superstitious Romans. Alda was therefore heavily beaten for the offense. As a result, she lay ill and Susanna who was her only friend attended to her in her illness.
In her dutiful attendance to the ill Alda, Susanna failed to finish a task that she had been given by Lelia. Susanna was punished by being beaten and was not allowed to attend to Alda. After a while, Susanna helped heal Lelia who had been stung by bees in the courtyard. As a compensation for saving his daughter’s life, Marcus allowed Susanna to continue staying with Alda. In their companionship, Susanna preached to Alda and converted her to the christian faith. Susanna then convinced Alda to submit to her masters as in accordance to the Christian faith. Alda yielded to this given that she had been very rebellious in the past to Lelia and her father.
Alda was baptized in the christian faith in a secret ceremony which Susanna had taken her to. This congregation worshiped in secret because the Emperor Nero was persecuting Christians at the time. After this incident, Susanna got very ill and she prophesied her coming death. This made Alda very sorrowful and unbelieving. Alda was assigned by Lelia to accompany her to the town of Tusculum. She reluctantly agreed given that she was leaving her friend Susanna on her death bed. On their return from Tusculum, Alda found that Susanna had died in her sleep. Alda grieved for her dear friend Susanna and refused to be comforted by the other slaves who shared her grief.
Alda devised a plan to escape her slavery. She was successful and came upon a forest where she encountered a band of robbers. The robbers turned out to be other slaves who were seeking freedom from their masters. The leader of the group was Maino’s who was formerly in the British army serving with Prince Aldogern. This made Alda happy for she had met a fellow Briton. She was well received and given food. The robbers upon listening to her story, entreated her to join them as fugitives which she refused. They build her a small cottage in the woods where they gave her provisions that would sustain her.
In her cottage, Alda discovered that there was a group of Christians who worshiped secretly in the forest and joined then. Their leader was Aurelis. In a matter of coincidence, Marcus Lelius and his daughter Lelia appeared at Alda’s doorstep looking forlorn and covered with blood. Alda was merciful upon them and listened to their sad tale whereby Marcus was betrayed to the Emperor Nero and now a price had been put upon their their heads. Alda was compassionate to them and treated them kindly in her home. She converted Marcus to Christianity as he lay sick and died. Lelia was also converted and she and Alda became great friends.
In unfortunate circumstances, Alda and the other believers were captured by the Romans and put in a dungeon. In an allocated day, they were brought to the amphitheater in Rome to answer for the crime of joining the christian faith. They were all killed by lions on the stage of the amphitheater. The Roman crowd cheered on as the Christians were being eaten alive.
