The Prodigal Daughter

Johanna was the pampered teenage daughter of a very rich farmer-father. When she was sixteen, her father hired a young Gaul that was stationed at the local Roman army garrison to break a number of new horses that her father had bought: but from breaking and training horses, the young man's scheming quickly turned to gaining control of Johanna's emotions, and her very large dowry. By treachery, he beguiled Johanna into falling in love with him, and believing he loved her, she, with her dowry, was coerced to elope with him. Once away from her father's protection, life quickly turned abysmal. The Gaul took her money and squandered it, and when it was gone, he threw her and his baby out. Johanna was forced to do very hard work and even prostitute herself to get the barest of food. One day she came to herself and decided to return home and face whatever severe punishment her father dealt her. Amazingly, her father welcomed her back with forgiving and open arms and restored her as his daughter. Even though her father forgave her and loved her, her two older brothers, family servants, neighbors, and other relatives did not. Johanna quickly learned her life had been dynamically altered forever, and her youthful immaturity and indiscretion would haunt her and bring great sorrow and sadness that she would have to deal with, not only in her life, but also in the lives of others.