Master/slave Relations: Handbook of Theory and Practice (18 page)

13.1 understand, and willingly accept, however, that I will
continue to address Master with respect and love at all
times, and that deviations from this rule are subject to
punishment at a later time.

14. For clarification purposes only, the Safe Period is a time
that all interactions with Master cease immediately while
we work to resolve some problem or issue. A Free Period
is a time that Master grants during which time I am free to
choose my own actions/activities; no instruction or training
is scheduled during my Free Period.

15. During the duration of this contract, I accept and agree
not to take any other Master, Dom or lover, or to be sexual
or submissive to any other person, without the express
and explicit direction and command of Master. I further
understand that to do so without such explicit direction will
result in the immediate termination of this contract.

16. My Master has agreed that he shall take no other submissive
or slave without first discussing it with me and considering
my emotional response to such a proposal.

17. My Master has agreed that he will not upset my emotional
balance or ignore me in favor of another submissive or
slave.

18. My Master and I have agreed that he shall never under
any circumstances give me to another Master, unless
the safety guidelines of this contract are wholeheartedly
followed by that Master at all times and without exception.
It is Master's sole responsibility to determine if this other
Master will agree to these terms and will follow these rules. Master agrees that a breach of contract by any other
Master would also be considered by me to be a breach of
contract by my Master as well.

19. My Master and I have agreed that all physical evidence
of my slavery to Master shall be kept in strictest secrecy,
except where Master and I have agreed otherwise.

20. My Master and I have agreed that any alterations to
this contract will be printed and signed and attached as
addendum to this original contract before said addendum
is enforced, and that it will not be necessary to include any
edicts or commands or rules, etc., put forth by my Master
into this contract.

21. I agree to give all of my worldly possessions to my Master,
to give my physical body to my Master, completely and
without exception, and to pleasure Master as he requests,
and as often as he requests.

22. I understand and accept willingly that Master may punish
me, command me, train me, and love me how Master sees
fit, at any time, any place, under any circumstance.

23. My Master and I have agreed that Private Rules of
Conduct (protocols) shall be created, and that it will be my
responsibility always to know any changes to any rules
of conduct set forth, and to follow them explicitly without
exception; that Master may change these rules of conduct
at any time, without prior notice, and that these rules are
to govern my actions within and outside the confines of
Master's house.

24. My Master and I have agreed that publicly, we shall both
conduct ourselves in such a manner as not to call attention
to our Master/slave relationship, that I will defer to Master
at all times in public, and shall call him by his proper name
when appropriate, and that Master has agreed that only people we have both agreed upon shall know about our
relationship and/or contract.

25. Parties or gatherings specifically created for other Masters
and slaves shall not be considered public places. Our
participation in such parties will be voluntary to both parties.
During these gatherings I shall abide by all rules, edicts,
and commands of my Master, just as if we were in private,
with no exceptions.

26. If, during a party or gathering specifically created for other
Masters and slaves, Master wishes me to participate in
any way with another slave or Master, he has graciously
agreed to discuss this with me beforehand and make
such requests in these situations with my acceptance
beforehand.

27. I agree and willingly accept my duties as slave.

28.1 shall speak of Master in terms of love, respect, and
adoration at all times. I will address him at all times as
"Sir" or "Master," or however else he sees fit, and I shall
abide by all items set forth in this contract, as well as any
future edicts, commands or orders to the best of my ability,
and understand that there may be adverse consequences
should I not carry out Master's requests or follow his rules
to his satisfaction.

29. Master has granted me the freedom to to engage in any
and all activities not actively forbidden by this contract, or
by later edict of my Master, and all rights and privileges not
otherwise noted in this contract belong to Master, and he
may exercise them as he chooses.

30. Master and I have agreed that no part of this contract is
intended to interfere with my career. My Master wishes
me to work hard and honestly, in general, and to conduct
myself in a manner calculated to bring honor and respect to both of us.

31. Master has graciously agreed, during periods of work, that
I am permitted to schedule appointments, to dress in a
manner appropriate to work, and to leave the house when
necessary for work. During periods of work, or if at home,
I may answer the telephone, if necessary, and discuss
business without the express permission of my Master.

32. My Master and I have agreed that for these reasons only,
do I have the right to terminate this contract immediately,
and with no recourse to myself:

a. Abuse, as outlined above in section 5a-g, either
intentional or accidental, or as a direct result from
consuming alcohol or drugs.

b. Permanent bodily harm, either intentional or
accidental, or as a direct result from consuming
alcohol or drugs, as outlined above in section 7a-f.

c. Permanent mental harm, either intentional or
accidental, or as a direct result from consuming
alcohol or drugs, as outlined above in section 9a-
d.

d. Breach of this contract by another Master, by charge
of my Master, or as a direct result from consuming
alcohol or drugs, as outlined above in section 18.

e. Exposed evidence of my slavery as outlined above
in section 19.

f. Any addendums further agreed upon by Master
and I that are attached to this contract and signed
by both parties will be considered as part of this
contract as well.

33. Should any situations occur as outlined in section 32a-f,
and should I still continue to want to uphold this contract in
full, Master and I shall put in writing what occurred, as well
as my decision to continue this contract, and that will be
attached to this contract and signed by both of us, unless
Master wishes the contract ended at that time because of
said situation.

34.1 have read and fully understand this contract, and am
entering into this contract under my own free will.

35.1 have not been coerced in any way to enter into this
contract.

36. By signing below, I agree to accept and obey all preceding
rules without question, as well as any rules Master may
choose to issue at a later date, and I gratefully and willingly
consign my body, mind, soul, and worldly possesions to
Master, for His pleasure and use any way he sees fit.

EXAMPLE OF AN OWNER'S CONTRACT

Collars

Collars are usually - but not always - associated with contracts.
They are the visible symbol of a power exchange dynamic.

Collars have varying degrees of significance for people in the
BDSM community. By wearing a collar, a person may wish to
make it known that he or she is submissive. Wearing a collar
may similarly be a signal to others that the submissive is "owned"
by - or is in a relationship with - a Dominant. It may also be a
tangible symbol of the relationship, itself. A lockable collar may
further symbolize the transfer of power from the submissive to
the Dominant holding the key.

A person wearing a collar to symbolize their relationship with
another is said to be collared. Some people conduct formal collaring ceremonies that are regarded as effectively solemnizing
their relationship in the same way as a marriage ceremony.

As a fashion accessory, collars are becoming more common, but
not sufficiently so that they would go unnoticed, particularly when
worn by men. Many choose to wear their collars only when in
private with their partners or with other members of the BDSM
community. As BDSM practices move increasingly into middle
class society, the role of the collar is also changing. Sometimes,
couples who also practice 24/7 M/s and D/s relationships adopt
collars that can be mistaken as ordinary chokers or jewelry necklaces that can be worn discreetly in public.

My sense is that formal stages of collaring are seen much more
outside than inside the Leather culture. While individuals may
name their collars - and the meaning behind their collars - differently, the general sequence goes like this:

• The collar of consideration is the first stage and is
roughly analogous to a pre-engagement ring. This collar can be removed by the submissive at any time with
no ill will, and the relationship would be ended.

• Next comes the training collar, roughly analogous to
an engagement ring; it indicates a deepening relationship in which the submissive is being prepared by the
Dominant to serve to the standards the Dominant wishes. Again, the submissive may ask to be released, but
the break is considered to be more serious and painful
for both parties.

• Finally, the full slave collar is analogous to a wedding
band, and at this point, the submissive is considered to
be a formal slave, owned by the Master or Dominant.
In the Leather community, this stage is considered
permanent. This bond would only be broken if the submissive is released by the Dominant for some exceptional reason. Simple failure of service is not adequate
grounds for release, since that would show control
failure on Master's part, as well as performance failure
on the slave's part. As with engagement and wedding rings, there are traditions with collars in regard to
materials and colors that are appropriate to each level,
and they usually become more elaborate as the stages
progress.

Personally, I gave my slave a training collar before I gave her
a collar of consideration. My view was that I wanted to assess
her acclimatization to the lifestyle (she was fresh from the Land
of Vanillas) before I became too heavily invested. For these
purposes, I reversed the significance of the collars. That is, she
was free to terminate the training phase of our relationship, but
once she possessed the collar of consideration, it was like being
engaged.

House collars (collars of protection) are sometimes used to
indicate to others in clubs, homes, and in organizations that provide social spaces that the submissive is under the protection of
your House and is to be approached with respect. I have seen
protection collars used for submissives who are not yet ready to make their own choices and need time to learn.