Walking back from the changing area with Simone, wearing my own clothes again, I felt lighter than I had in a while. Not as an effect from the new perk or just from shedding the high-dollar outfits.
The day itself had been… relieving. Performing the job I was asked and doing it well - to my own opinion and that of others - was uplifting. Accomplishment? In a way that doing what I was told to do and expected to do as royalty never was.
It was the same with learning archery. With learning to sneak about for my own fun adventures. All these things were not duty… even though you could argue signing a contract certainly made it so.
"You held up remarkably well for your first full shoot. Most first-timers are dead on their feet even after lunch…"
"I prepared myself for the reality of it well enough. And I had better support here than I expected, if I'm being truthful. What floundering I did do was covered by the crew."
