Understanding "Old Ways" Mistresses

Mistress Rana

Mistresses from the "old ways" are a breed unto themselves. Just ask any of today's Masters or Doms who attempt to deal with them. We are not trying to be difficult, or demeaning, or disrespectful *smile*... well ... *evil grin.* It's just part of our attitude and demeanor. Although some of us come by it natural *grin,* the rest acquired it by imitation or design. It's hard for some of the newer Masters/Doms to understand and accept some of our behaviors. (Trust me, lil' darlings, it has been just as hard for the "Old" Mistresses to accept the new Masters/Doms.)

In our day, we had three levels of Masters and a fourth level of Doms. The upper echelon was composed of five Grand Masters, called "the Fathers, " who only appeared a couple times a year at "discipleship courts. " They were always hooded, highly respected. No one was permitted to speak to them unless addressed by them; and no one was permitted to touch them unless they were personally invited to the private court rooms. The next level, below the Grand Masters, consisted of "knighted" or experienced Masters who had been training and/or living the life-style for many years. The next lower level consisted of "Novice Masters" or Doms who wanted to become life-style and were training toward that goal. The last level was Doms and consisted of those who wanted to learn certain areas of the life-style but did not have enough time to truly devote to it. The Doms were welcomed by the group and handled many of the managerial activities like overseeing subs who took care of specifics for play parties, equipment upkeep, etc.

Mistresses never participated in the politics of the group, or training that involved Masters, or arrangements for parties or courts. However, they did loan their subs to the Masters for physical and mental duties involving all three aspects. Mistresses had a few specific jobs: recruiting new people for the group, training new subs, training new Mistresses, and providing entertainment, flare and flavor for the group. We were flamboyant, sexual in speech and actions and dress, commanding and domineering, and showed everyone we knew how to live life to its fullest. It made the recruiting part easy. Men and women, slaves and subs, Masters and Dom/Dommes were drawn to us.

A large portion of the Mistress' basic training involved screening: screening for sub and Dom personalities, naturally submissive traits, psychological defects and traumas, and those who may or may not want to taste our life-style. Once they joined us, those with potential to become novice Masters were sent to the Masters for training, and the rest were placed with the Mistresses. Potential Mistresses and all the subs began their training with us, then the females subs were passed on to the Masters to be trained in personalized ways to please their individual owners. The male subs stayed with us and became part of our courts or were given to new Mistresses within the group.

We were the center of activity at the group courts and parties. Once the "discipleship court" was over and the disciplines had been dealt out, the floor was ours. We guided and provided "punishment and pleasure" sessions, compared and pitted our subs against each other to show the "best of obedience, " showed off our special talents and shared life-style secrets, and teased and flirted with every man and every sub we happened by. It was considered, by Masters and subs alike, a special privilege to garner the attention of a Mistress. No one ever considered the actions or words we used to tease and delight as disrespectful or demeaning. We played hard (hard is better *grin*), taught and enforced the protocols, and kept interest in the life-style alive and fun.

The Old Ways - Subs caring for their Mistresses

When a sub/slave has been collared, the way they address and behave with their Mistress/Master may differ from uncollared subs:

Some slaves/subs shall address their Mistress as "Mistress Mine," although some Mistresses refuse to allow the tag "mine" to be placed with their titles. It is merely a preference. Some like showing the ownership of the slave/sub each time he addresses her. These forms of address are private and used only by the collared sub to his Mistress and should be used by no other.

Slaves/subs must pay full attention to their Mistresses at all times. When spoken to by his Mistress or when first approaching her, it is not uncommon to hear a slave/sub say "Please use me for your pleasure, Mistress " or begin sentences with "I am yours, Mistress," or "If it pleases you, Mistress... " Many slaves/subs are instilled with specific responses toward their Mistresses. Variance from these specific responses can bring punishment.

Whenever a response is required from one of my slaves/subs, I prefer the slave/sub begin his response with the phrase "As you wish, Mistress..."

Whenever one of my slaves/subs feel that they must make a request, respond in a negative manner or attempt to resist an order (for whatever reason), the slave/sub will first say, "If it pleases my Mistress, may I ..." and as Mistress, I will say whether the slave/sub is allowed to continue with his thought or request.

Such courtesies and acknowledgements of the Mistress should continue even through emails. Whenever one of my slaves/subs write a letter or email, they will begin them with "Dearest Mistress Mine." In the email subject line the slave/sub will place "Your humble servant requests your time." The slave/sub will sign off on all correspondence with "I am yours, Mistress" or "Please use me for your pleasure, Mistress" followed by his name or the slave/sub name I as Mistress have given him.

No slave/sub is permitted to begin a sentence or address Mistress with the word "no" or "not." They are taught to say, "Mistress, if it pleases you may I ..." and wait for permission to proceed. Then they may state the request in a positive manner.

The first and foremost responsibility of a slave/sub, is to see to his Mistress' pleasure and comfort and always remember, Mistress is placed first above all others. Therefore, others should avoid conversation and actions that may disturb or distract a slave/sub from his duties which are:

• Mistress is more important than any other activity the slave/sub may be or want to be engaged in. This includes activities with family and friends. Slave/sub shall sit, stand, walk, kneel, and lay where, when and how Mistress desires.
• Whenever your slave/sub makes a decision or comment, his Mistress' comfort and concern for her well-being must be his first and last thought, and all thoughts in-between. His Mistress' care comes before all others including family and friends.
• A slave/sub acknowledges that Mistress' authority supercedes his in any decision including but not limited to travel plans, visitations, activities, chores, recreation, monetary expenses or expenditures, obligations, management, diets, readings, processes, consumptions, priorities, communications or any otherwise alternative decision.

In the old ways, few Mistresses chose "pretty boys." The Mistresses' choices usually were based on specific needs of the household or her own personal needs such as mechanical abilities, handyman skills, cooking and cleaning skills, and sexual servitude. The slave/sub was chosen, then trained for obedience. Those who were most obedient, were highly sought after. One of the first writings or lessons given to or sent to a slave usually include this:

Obedience will differentiate you from the others. This relationship is not about looks or talents or social class or financial stability — it matters not whether you weigh 500 lbs., are physically handicapped, or what someone might call "butt ugly" — Mistresses see only the obedience and the deeper the obedience, the deeper their love for the slave/sub. Submission is the greatest gift that can be given to a Mistress, and she holds it dearly and rewards it greatly. Alternately, the Mistress' looks should not matter to the slave/sub. The slave/sub's relationship is built on the discipline, fairness, and caring of the Mistress for her slave.

I miss the old days .... Mistress Rana