Soldier's Dilemma

The sea breeze went smoothly, a good sign for seafarers.
The night sky, cloudless, a blessing for seafarers
Land ahoy, ever uncertain, a cure for the weary seafarers.

But what is a cure for seafarers
Who have traveled all that is to travel to?

"Captain, are you still awake?" asked the first mate knocking on the captain's chambers. "May I come in?"

A light sparked and lit on inside the room. A few rustle and sound gently echoed inside and the light died down. It was signalling her to enter.

"Fine evening to you, my friend," greeted the captain.

"Captain," gently said the first mate. "Are you happy?"

"Am I happy? You're saying I'm sad? On what ground have you come to that conclusion?" the captain asked. "With this big smile of mine, am I not happy?"

"You are. Or perhaps you seem to," said the first mate.

"Don't I look not happy? Or don't I look complete? To tell you the truth. I feel... incomplete. And it wears me down heavily," said the captain. This was the first the time first mate hearing this revelation.

"Are you not satisfied with us? Are you so used to us, that we must be replace or worst, you want to leave us?" asked the first mate. "I'm... I apologize on behalf of the crew for not being the crew that you want. Now I know why you want to forget."

But it wasn't them that the captain want forgotten.

"Before you go forming ideas in that strange head of yours," said the captain. "How do you see me as a person?"

"You're the best captain there is," said the first mate. "None could best you when it comes to many things. Swordplay, weather watching, battle strategy, even singing lyrics for the maestro to play. You are the greatest man alive."

"Is that all?" asked the captain.

"I heard that when you were in the academy you were the exemplar in all classes there is. You were born of the sea, people would usually say."

"Any more?"

"You've won many wars, turned down many woman but never made a single one cry, your name gives hope to people. You're like a symbol to all of them, to all of us."

"So you only see that side of me?" said the disappointed captain. "You've never seen my mistakes. Have you? Of how I did in my first test in the academy. Of how stupid I was compared to my companions there. Of how jittery, confused and afraid I am during the start of voyages. You've never seen me panicking out of sudden misfortunes happening. Of how I sweat when I miscalculated when and where a storm was going to hit us back then. Of how shocked I was of that skirmish we had when the ocean turned out shallow on certain places. Of how poor my skills were when I was playing children's games with my nephews and niece. You've never saw my stutter when I went on my first date. Of how gravely disappointed I was of my first rejection.

"My dear friend, I guess, you've forgotten I am only human, like you," said the captain. "Please don't-"

He stopped as he had just achieved one of his wishes and right now he will dispel that.

"Yes, captain. We will not forget," said the first mate. "But... you are sad. Am I not right?"