Thank you so much for still staying with my story!
I am sorry this chapter took me so long but I am currently having a bit of a writer's block. I hope it will be over soon.
This time I did not switch to Laura but stuck with Bill for another short chapter.

Disclaimer: I only own my OC's and my original story line

May 1803
Family stories

William Adama

A smile spread over William's face. "Is that Ms Roslin?", he asked, just to make sure. The other man nodded thoughtfully.

"Yes, those are her and my wife at the age of eleven or twelve. They have been close friends for such a long time now. My father-in-law, God bless his soul, painted this picture. He was a very talented man. Isabelle and especially Violet, my younger daughter, have inherited that talent." He chuckled lightly. "The rest of the family is more musically inclined. Or in case of two of my boys, not into arts at all. But I guess it is less important fror them anyway than for the girls."

Adama did not really know what to answer to that statement, so he just politely tilted his head in thought.

"I am certain I can't be considered an expert on this particular subject, even though I have both a son and a daughter", he admitted then.

His partner simply smiled, not seeming fazed.

"When do you think the war will come?", he then changed the topic, sitting down again.

William came back to his former seat as well, facing Agathon.

"I think it can be any day", the other man replied earnestly, "to be honest, I have lost faith in the use of diplomacy here. I am still hoping though, but hope can only do so much."

Mr Agathon sighed in reply. "War is bad for business", he stated matter-of-factly, then he seemd to consider something else. "Your son, will he go to the front?"

"He is a Navy officer", Adama corrected him, with a certain pride in his voice.

He might have a bad feeling about letting Lee go into war, but he was also proud of the man he had become and was convinced he would do a good job protecting his country.

"What about your sons?"

"Karl won't, he is to stay here and eventually take over the business. Robert, my second son, will serve, but not in the Navy. I have a third son, Henry. He is a clergyman in Devonshire, at my relative's estate. He is truely a man of the church and devoted to his profession, I would never get him away from there."

The Commander had to smile at the fond tone in the other man's voce. Even though he himself kept clear of churches, priests, nuns, vicars and everything along those lines, he could accept if somebody found happiness in it. Keeping Karl out of batttle was definitely a tactical move as well, Agathon was no fool. He knew that in war nothing was certain and he wanted one of his not-church-invested sons to still be there after the ashes had settled. Not that Adama could blame him. If he owned a business and both of his sons were still alive, he might have thought about it as well. But he was a Navy Commander and one of his sons was already dead. Dead because he wanted to be a soldier. Dead because of a stupid training accident. It had driven Leopold away from him as he blamed his father for Zachary's death. And sometimes Bill did blame himself too. Perhaps that was why he hadn't mentioned him until now.

They talked for a couple of more minutes before Adama got ready to leave. It was Sunday afternoon after all, he could not monopolize the family's time more than necessary. Karolina seemed quite reluctant to go, but at least did not make a fuss, a gesture which her adoptive father genuinely appreciated. Back in the carriage, he looked at her expectandly.

"Did you amuse yourself?", he wanted to know.

"Oh definitely!", she answered excitedly, "Miss Agathon, Mrs Agathon and I had the most amazing discussion! Did you know she had an older sister?"

Adama nodded. "Yes, I found out today. There is also another son. A man of the church, he lives in Devonshire."

"Well, then the family has everything", Kara commented, a quick thinker as always. "One son to stay in trade, one in the military and one in the church. I don't know who the older Agathon daughter is married to, but I would guess either gentry or politician."

For a short moment, William wondered whether he should ask his daughter whom she would consider to marry. A soldier? A gentleman? A politician? A commoner? But then he thought better of it. It would only cause conflict and he was confused enough at the moment. He did not need a moody young adult to contribute to it any further.

Thank you for reading!

Just to clarify, in this story Kara and Zak were close as siblings but never engaged.
See you soon with the next chapter!