Thank you for your kind words! I have my other main story, and it has a stricter word limit for me to follow. I've often had to give up detailed descriptions and wordplay as a result in order to move the story at its proper place. Having a minimum for the contest chapters that's higher than my usual maximum has been a nice change of pace!
Your advice is actually perfect. Indeed--the beginning few chapters are meant to display the position of comfort Rhene has given the luxury she was born into. They are also supposed to showcase an ever-present drudge of confinement, monotony, and boredom. It was my suspicion, however, that I presented the latter a little too well.
Having that confirmed, I've edited both the first and second chapters a bit to hopefully have the foreshadowing of the eventual Call to Action push the reader's curiosity through the slowness of Rhene's typical day better.
Thanks again! I'm definitely pushing my creative limits and mind-processing power joining the contest this late, but I definitely wish to check out your story when I have a free moment