Laine Goes to the Ball

Laine was nervous. For weeks her friends and she had been planning to attend the annual "Halloween Leather and Lace Fetish Ball" held in the nearby city. They thought it would be a fun lark to go and see what all the "freaks" got up to on the craziest holiday of the year. Now she was here and her phone was full of texts from her friends, all of whom had something else come up or who chickened out at the last minute. Some of them were obvious lies. One or two admitted that they were scared by, "Whips and chains and such" and one outright said, "Those people are nuts."

She was seriously considering just leaving, but the ticket hadn't been cheap and the drive there had been pretty long and she was reluctant to just turn around and head home. Besides, the curiosity that had compelled her to come in the first place was still there. She took a deep breath and made a quick adjustment to the sexy pirate costume she had on and she headed for the line in the door. In moments she was attracting attention and she could see why. Laine was easily the most covered woman in sight. The costume that had gotten her hit on a dozen times at a party the year before looked totally out of place.

The doorman gave her an odd look as he took her ticket. She knew she essentially screamed "tourist" in this crowd, but these events were huge. She couldn't be the only person here just to look. She entered an enormous building and her senses were nearly overwhelmed by the crowd of people, the flashing lights from the dance floor and the dank smells of leather and sweat.

She almost turned around again. If she had felt out of place in line outside, stepping inside was like falling through the rabbit hole. Everywhere she looked were people in collars on leashes being led around by women with exposed breasts above tight corsets and men in assless chaps. Her mind was reeling. She was drawing more stares than ever and some of the looks were utterly frightening, as if she were being assessed from head to toe. She had never felt so out of place and confused when out of the chaos she heard a voice.

"Is this your first time my dear?" The voice belonged to a woman and was at once drenched in honey and forged in steel.

"Yes!" exclaimed Laine, desperate for someone to help her. "Ma'am," she added, not entirely sure why she had. The last time she called someone ma'am was in high school, but this woman seemed to command immediate respect. She was an imposing figure in thigh high boots beneath a leather bustier and a short, but oddly medieval looking skirt. Her eyes were ice blue and shined like cold fire. Most magnificent of all was her hair. Copper red and obviously completely natural it hung to her waist like a waterfall of new pennies. She was stunning and frightening, but it was more than just her friendly words in a sea of strangers that made her seem inviting. She exuded strange yet welcoming warmth.

"All by yourself?" the fire haired Goddess asked as Laine came closer.

"Yes... ma'am," Laine answered, blushing a bit and still wondering why she was calling this woman "ma'am."

The woman flashed a brilliant smile in return. "Well then, you're in luck. The organizers hired me to answer questions and help out people that seemed confused."

"Oh thank you...ma'am. I was a little overwhelmed. My friends and I thought this would be fun, but they all chickened out at the last minute. Now I'm here alone and I'm starting to wonder why I came at all."

"Would you like me to help you find the dance floor...and maybe a partner once there?" the woman asked with a sly smile.

"No ma'am....actually....I can't dance at all. Yeah my friends were mostly coming for the DJs, but....." Laine stammered.

"There must have been some reason you were interested?" the woman asked encouragingly.

Laine blushed a deeper red. "I.....always kind of wondered why people did things like this. Being tied up or whipped.... I never really imagined...this." She motioned to the crowd and demonstration areas set up around the building.

The leather clad woman gave a faint smile. This young lady had potential. She was obviously not just here for the show. She believed the girl was truly curious. Well, that was why she was here; to assist the curious. The sweet young thing was already acting naturally deferential; her instincts seemed to indicate a submissive streak. Mistress would bring it out of her slowly without scaring her off.

"Why don't we find a quieter area where I can answer your questions? I believe there is a lounge area set up on the other side of the bar. Would you care for a drink?"

"No ma'am. Not that I don't want to talk to you...but I think I should probably stay sober and keep my wits about me."

Another smile was quickly hidden. All the better if she stayed sober, the woman thought.

"What is your name my dear?" the woman asked as she led the way through the crowd. The girl dropped into step three paces behind her. Perfect again, she thought with another hidden grin.

"Laine ma'am."

"What a charming name. I am called Mistress Xanna or Mistress X at these types of events."

"Is that how I should address you...Mistress?" Laine rolled the foreign but oddly sensual term over her tongue.

Xanna smiled warmly down on her again. "Ma'am is just fine actually. Since you are not one of my pets calling me Mistress is not necessary. It is probably a good thing I stepped in when I did. These balls are supposed to be considered casual and it is supposed to be understood not everyone is 'scene' but there are some stripes of Dominants that would see a woman alone and make a claim and it would just cause confusion." As she said this Xanna gave a cold steely warning gaze to a particularly fierce looking bearded man who had been eyeing Laine since her arrival. He shot Xanna an ugly stare of his own before turning away. Laine heaved a sigh of relief. For the first time since arriving she didn't feel compelled to make a run for the door.

As they walked along Laine became increasingly self-conscious of the way she was dressed. Her costume was all wrong. She was still getting a fair number of curious stares and she knew she was standing out, in spite of or possibly because she was wearing a lot more than anyone else present.

Xanna looked back at Laine and saw her awkwardly fussing in her costume. She stopped walking and allowed Laine to catch up. "Feeling uncomfortable my dear?"

"I....my costume ma'am....it just doesn't seem right."

"It's very attractive, but not exactly... appropriate for this type of event."

Laine shifted on her heels, feeling more awkward every second. What could she do?

Xanna leaned in with a conspiratorial whisper, "Actually, if you took off the jacket the bodice you are wearing would work on its own."

Laine's eyes lit up in momentary relief, but then nerves took back over and she bit her lip. "I suppose it would look better, but...." Laine trailed off, thinking to herself. The bodice wasn't indecent and maybe she would attract less attention without the jacket.

Xanna whispered again, "You will stand out less in less here. It's the same as at a nude beach. The person wearing clothes attracts the most attention."

Laine nodded. That made sense. It was almost like Xanna had followed her train of thought. She shrugged the pirate jacket off her shoulders. Xanna took it and folded it over her arm. "There are some lockers over in the same direction I can drop this off in. Now...as for the skirt..."

Laine blushed again. She had chosen a rather long and bulky skirt for an authentic pirate wench costume. She felt terribly and embarrassingly overdressed.

"What do you have on under it?"

"A pair of lace bikini panties and a garter belt holding up my fishnets ma'am."

"Perfect."

Laine's jaw sank as she processed what the older woman was suggesting.

"Wait...just my underwear?"

Xanna gave her another encouraging smile. "It will look just right, especially with the boots you have on."

Laine bit her lip again. She took a deep breath and unfastened the skirt. It fell down around her ankles and she bent over to pick it up. Xanna observed her. Laine had mid-length light brown hair showing off a long curving neck. She was of somewhat average height and weight, but the bodice set off her round bosom and slim waist and the garters and stockings made her ass and legs look amazing. She was a beautiful girl oblivious to her own comeliness. Laine didn't notice the Domina's intense scrutiny as she stood up and handed the skirt over.

"Leave the hat. It's really cute and sets off your hair," Xanna said, accepting the skirt and neatly folding it over the jacket.

Laine blushed deeper still. "I've never thought anything about my hair ma'am. It's just kind of...there. Mousy and there."

Imagining her hair in a tight French braid which she would then clutch hard, pulling Laine close, "It has beautiful highlights. And it's so long and thick. It is really quite lovely" Xanna cooed.

Laine warmed inside at Xanna's words. That this gorgeous woman thought she was anything to look at was a real compliment. They turned down an aisle of lockers and Xanna stopped to drop off Laine's jacket and skirt and tucked the key into her bustier. Laine had a touch of panic. Since there was no way she could drive all the way home in her underwear, Xanna now controlled when she could leave. Xanna turned to her and said, "Don't worry. Whenever you want the key I will give it to you. I just don't see a place for you to keep it on yourself." Laine's nerves calmed again. It was almost as if Xanna could anticipate her concerns and lay them to rest before she had even figured them out.

Xanna began to lead the way again. On the other side of the lockers was the lounge area. Laine looked around with curious confusion. Some of the men and women were reclining on leather chaises and couches while others knelt at their feet on the floor. Xanna steered them over to a quiet table a ways away from anyone else. A woman in a skimpy cocktail waitress outfit crawled over to them as they sat down. Xanna rolled her eyes and intoned in a distant and disinterested voice. "This is laying it on a bit thick. Please stand. I rarely make my own servants crawl, let alone others."

Xanna clapped, and the woman stood and answered, "Thank you Mistress. What would you and your companion like to drink?"

"I will have a mineral water. My dear what will you have?"

"I will have the same," Laine replied. She didn't generally drink mineral water, but she wasn't going to have any alcohol and this didn't feel like the time or place for ordering a 7up.

"Two mineral waters. Thank you My Lady." The waitress bowed and hurried to fill their order. She was back in a flash with a couple of bottles of S.Pelligro and glasses with ice.

Xanna waited until the waitress was out of earshot. "I really should speak to the organizers. Making the waitresses crawl is a bit much. Now my dear what would you like to know?"

Laine shifted a little uneasily in her chair. "I guess my main question is why? Why would anyone do these things? What do they get from it?"

"That is a fairly loaded question, particularly the 'what do they get from it' part. People get many different things out of this lifestyle. But I should probably start with the basics. BDSM or Bondage, Discipline, Sadism and Masochism, is based around the concept of power exchange. One person gives up control to another that they trust. Some people do it to explore things they are too frightened to experience on their own or to not have guilt associated with those desires. Others have a wish to serve and please another. The Dominant partner lovingly instructs the submissive in how to feed those desires."

"What about pain? How does that play a part? Why would people want pain?"

"That is very straightforward. Simple physiology. The body produces potent pain killer known as endorphins. Controlled pain causes the body to kick off so many endorphins it brings on a drug like high. The body also produces endorphins when it feels pleasure. That's how pain and pleasure end up connected for a masochist, because physiologically they ARE connected. The endorphins also contribute to a relaxed state of mind.

"You mean-people do this to relax?"

Xanna chuckled gently, "That is a major reason certainly."

Laine's tense muscles responded to that information by twitching in frustration. She constantly wished she could relax, but between work and night school and worrying about her student loans relaxation was a commodity out of her reach.

Xanna noticed the affect her words were having on Laine. The poor girl was tense as a fence post. She had seen this before; young women so unable to relax they were neurotic. Her heart ached for the poor dear. It made the compassionate Domina more determined that if she could she would help Laine learn the sublime peace she had brought to so many others.

"Is this an everyday thing for them?" Laine asked.

"Not generally. For some, it's an occasional indulgence. For others, it's more of a weekly thing. Only a few live the lifestyle 24/7 and even they break for work or going to the store. Personally as important as this is to me, I couldn't imagine being responsible for someone else all the time. Weekends and the occasional evening are plenty for me."

"So when they aren't here, they're just like anyone else?"

"Sweetie they ARE anyone else. They could be the clerk at the supermarket or the receptionist at the doctor's office or hell even the doctor. We're a community fairly big on discretion. You wouldn't know from just meeting someone on the street."

Laine's eyes kept flittering around at all the strange sights. She was beginning to get used to the collars and leashes and only felt a little shock at the prevalent nudity. However every time she thought she had seen the strangest thing yet something odder still would come into view. She was still confused, but Xanna had shed some light on their behavior and she could look now with some understanding. Her friends wouldn't have even tried. They would have just pointed and laughed at everything that they didn't understand or they would have left as soon as they saw something that bothered them, which would have probably taken about two minutes. For the first time she was happy her friends weren't here.

"I could keep answering your questions all night, but at a certain point I think seeing will make more sense," Xanna broke into her reverie.

Laine nodded again. She was still nervous about the way she was dressed and part of her didn't want to leave the anonymity of the lounge, but she couldn't resist the chance to see for herself if what Xanna said was true. Again Xanna led the way with Laine naturally falling in three steps behind. Laine was attracting considerably less attention than she had earlier and within a few minutes had dropped her self-consciousness over her appearance.

Xanna stopped them in front of a stage set up with what almost looked like an exam table in the middle. One woman was leading another over to the table.

"The B in BDSM-Bondage. This is the simplest and most direct means of giving up control." Xanna motioned to the women on the stage. The first woman ordered the second to lie down on the table. Laine observed in fascination as the woman was strapped down to the table-first by her wrists, then her ankles and lastly by a strap across her chest between her breasts and collarbone. She momentarily saw a look of terror pass the woman's features before the other women leaned over, stroked her hair and whispered in her ear. She then ceased her struggles against her bonds and a look of pure contentment took over her face.

Laine looked on in amazement. The other woman took out a large peacock feather and began to run it up and down teasing the tied woman who shuddered in ecstasy at the touch. It looked...exquisite. Laine wasn't sure why that was the word that came to her, but it felt correct. She had never seen a more sensual act and her own skin felt like pins and needles as she watched.

Xanna was herself watching Laine and could see the color rising in her cheeks and the shallowness of her breathing. There was no question; she was getting turned on. She placed a hand on Laine's shoulder. Laine stiffened at the unexpected touch, but quickly discovered she liked the feeling of Xanna's hand on her shoulder; it was wonderfully calming. Laine was able to take a deep breath and let out more of her nerves. She steeled herself and asked the question that was burning in her mind. "Ma'am, what is she feeling that makes her act like that?"

Was it too soon? Xanna wondered. She let Laine watch the sensuous torture another minute before answering her, judging it as good a time as any. "Would you like to find out?"

Laine looked up at her startled. "I.....I...I have never done anything like this. I...what will happen to me?"

Xanna smiled and unclipped a pair of leather cuffs from the belt of her skirt. "Nothing. All I will do is put these on your wrists and bind them together in front of you, fairly loosely of course. I don't want to cause any unnecessary pain. If you get scared all you have to do is ask and I will let you out."

Laine looked over at the ecstatic face of the woman on the table. Could she feel like that? Did she want to feel like that? She didn't know the answer to the first but she knew immediately the answer to the second question was an emphatic "yes." She looked up into Xanna's ice blue eyes and made her decision. "Yes ma'am. I....I would like to know what it feels like ..."

Xanna smiled again. "Ok my dear. Put your hands out in front of you."

Laine put her hands out and closed her eyes as Xanna approached. In a moment, Laine felt smooth leather around her left wrist and a tug as it was tightened and fastened followed by the same around her right. Then she felt the two pulled together and clipped and her wrists were immobilized. Laine opened her eyes. For the first thirty seconds or so she told herself that nothing was different, her hands were just held together. Although she could still move her fingers, Laine started to feel confined by the cuffs within a minute. The sense of confinement began to grow into a feeling of fear. The sinking sensation created by those dual emotions begat more fear. Laine felt like she was coming out of her skin.

Laine felt Xanna's hand on her shoulder, calming her. Her voice purred in Laine's ear. "Don't fight the fear. Embrace it. Stare down your vulnerability. Your willingness to show your vulnerability is a sign of strength not weakness. Your lack of power is true power. I won't let anything happen to you that you don't want to happen."

Xanna's words created a core of calm like the eye of a storm in the maelstrom of swirling emotions of Laine's mind. She took a deep, shuddering breath and steadied her head. She looked up at Xanna's face and the glorious smile shining down on her filled her with a joy than she couldn't remember feeling in years.

"Now you need to understand the concept of the 'safeword.' This is a signal that you give me to stop. Any time that you feel threatened or that you can't handle any more, saying your safeword will immediately stop me and end whatever is happening. I personally like to use what we call the 'Stoplight.' If everything is ok, you respond 'Green.' If things are beginning to scare you but not so much you need to stop, say 'Yellow.' And if you have to stop right then say 'Red.' Do you understand?"

"Yes ma'am. I understand."

"Good girl." Xanna looked back at the stage. "Oh wonderful, she is now demonstrating rope bondage. I love this Domina's rope work."

Laine sat and watched in awe as the woman who had previously been tied to the table was stood up and trussed. The ropes were wound around her body making patterns and swirls around her breasts and collarbone. They went down around her waist and hips and between her legs before going back up and tying again to the ropes around her shoulders. Very slowly and artistically her whole body was immobilized from her neck down to her ankles. When she was finally done the Domina showed off her handiwork. Laine couldn't clap with the rest of the crowd, but her eyes as big as saucers said more than words or applause ever could.