I've been back at work for a few hours after three days and two nights at "The Edge" with my Mistress but my heart and my mind are still in Devon. As an entirely grounded individual I hesitate to use words like spiritual but it is no understatement to say that the visit was magical, in so many ways, on so many levels, for both of us.

In a nutshell if it has ever crossed your mind to visit a dungeon with your partner(s) for a short break then stop hesitating and start planning. If you come away having experienced one tenth of what we experienced then you will never ever forget your visit to the magic that is The Edge. Disney has nothing on this theme park, and I say that having spent two glorious weeks in Orlando back at the start of this year.

MsDemmie and her slave, budgie, are an integral part of that magic. A visit to the Edge is not as simple as just hiring a bed and dungeon for a couple of days, although if that is what you want then I'm sure they would be only too happy to oblige. What they set out to do is to guide you, advise you and help you to think what your visit is about and whilst it looks effortless on their part they work hard to help you achieve something inspiring from your time with them. It is with a great deal of affection that I will now tell you that I think that MsDemmie is a witch. The number of times she just read with unerring accuracy what was happening in the dynamic between my Mistress and myself over the three days we were there cannot be considered a coincidence. And what can I say about budgie? I feel like budgie has been my friend forever. I can go back to a time before I first met the Domme who is now my wife when he and I used to chat online. And for those who have come to know him in more recent times, the answer is yes, his bad jokes were just as bad in those days. In some senses, and particularly in terms of my journey along the D/s path, I have always looked up to budgie like an elder brother and (in-joke mode ON) I learned all I know about being a slut from him, he is the master! (in-joke mode OFF).

If you haven't met either of them yet then you can usually find them on most evenings in #submission^england on irc.bondage.com which is an online oasis of intelligent conversation and fun. Or you can visit their web site at www.msdemmie.com.

So what is the place like? We were lucky enough to visit the dungeon for its opening night party and it looked good then. For our visit this time we were given the full "now close your eyes, now open them", heart pounding introduction and its fair to say that the current pictures on the web site do not do the room justice. Now, it looks awesome! As a submissive, standing in that room; the lighting just so, candles flickering, light dancing off leather and steel, appropriate music piping from the sound system; knowing that you are seconds, minutes or hours from being strapped to your Dominant's choice of equipment - if that doesn't make you go weak at the knees or send a shiver down your spine then you need to borrow an emotion chip. I watched my Mistress walk round the room and touch the equipment, getting a safety briefing from MsDemmie and I knew it would not be long before I was naked and strapped on that wheel. <Irony mode ON> I hate it when I'm right?lol! <Irony mode OFF>

And then we retired to prepare for the evening. We unpacked twice, once in our bedroom in the cottage and then our toy collection in the dungeon. We washed up after the journey and changed. And then we all talked. I spent some time with budgie, my Mistress with MsDemmie and then the four of us together. We talked and talked. Mistress and I had sent our checklist to MsDemmie and budgie in advance and we had also talked with them a couple of times about our objectives when we first made the booking and then in the days running up to the visit. They prodded, prompted, and pushed us to examine where we were and where it is we were trying to get to. And not in any sense judging us, just asking us to be realistic and to both recognise what each other's current issues were. MsDemmie, the "witch", knew precisely when Mistress and I had reached the point where we were craving to be together in the dungeon and MsDemmie and budgie went off to spend some time with their friends online whilst LadyLinda and I retired to the dungeon.

And I flew! I was acquainted with numerous bits of the dungeon furniture, including of course the wheel, and re-acquainted with many of Mistress's favourite impact toys - her crop, cane, paddle, floggers and her leather cat. When she finally took pity on me and pulled me into her arms at the end of our scene I nearly cried. Later we cuddled in bed and talked for a while and then fell asleep in each other arms.

When we got up on the morning of day two we felt incredible, we were both still buzzing, and we spent some time just soaking up the atmosphere of Devon in general and The Edge in particular. The dungeon, cottage and main house are set against the most magnificent background - the hills behind you, the little brook that runs through the property and the cliffs and sea to the front. A little slice of paradise. If MsDemmie and budgie ever work out how to bottle that atmosphere they will find themselves sat on a goldmine.

We all joined up for a late and lazy breakfast, more a brunch really - it does not take long to throw off the stresses of normal day-to-day life and being driven by the clock and begin to operate on what MsDemmie and budgie call Devon time. And more talk. It's incredibly relaxing to be able to talk so openly and honestly with people that you can trust.

As the afternoon wore on we all retired to the dungeon and MsDemmie and budgie gave us the most incredible demonstration. Mistress and I watched with rapt attention. If you ever want to see a slave truly at one with the world then watch budgie's face when he is under MsDemmie's spell (I did tell you she's a witch didn't I?). As the aboriginal music washed over us I watched budgie playing imaginary pan pipes with his fingers, with a look of utter contentment on his face as his backside turned red and his skin leathered before our eyes. As ever I was awestruck by budgie's capacity, but really he's right that if pain becomes pleasure he's just the biggest pleasure slut I know. (Did tell you I learned it all from him?).

Then, gulp, it was my turn. LadyLinda warmed me up and then, with some pointers from MsDemmie and budgie in the backgound, I was taken somewhere I had never been before and with a crop of all things. If I tell you that used to be the toy I hated the most you might have some measure of what a breakthrough that was. And THEN I was introduced to a quirt and despite my apprehension I just loved it. As I was worked on relentlessly I reached a space where I craved the next touch of the whip and I never wanted it to end. Pandoro's box was opened to me further than ever before and I saw its depths. I almost screamed "don't stop" when it finally came to an end. Actually I probably didn't have the strength to operate my vocal cords. As MsDemmie and budgie discreetly withdrew from the dungeon I was brought down a little with a familiar toy and then taken down from where I had been chained. And I am not in the least bit ashamed to say that as I came back to reality and felt myself shake and shiver, and how wobbly I was on my feet, I cried like a baby. Tears of utter joy. Catharsis is such a mouthful of a word but that's what it was. Complete and utter release. I was on a fluffy cloud for the rest of the evening. Everyone remarked on the utter look of peace that had descended on me. Despite the fact that I would have come off worst if I'd tried to wrestle a paper bag, mentally I felt I could conquer the world. And do you know what meant the most to me? my Mistress telling me how totally proud of me she was.

That wasn't the last of the breakthroughs that we experienced during our time in The Edge but in telling you about just one of them it might give you a small insight into what is possible in that magical place. I can't wait to go again. I'm smiling the silliest smile at the moment because in fact I'm going again in about six weeks time.

elliott
owned and loved by LadyLinda