A man needs to be firm and resolute. He needs to be confident and assured. He needs to be her rock: the one man in the world his submissive can turn to for advice, help, guidance and comfort. And he needs to be able to arouse and excite her. He needs to be able to keep her on edge and off balance. He needs to know her better than she knows herself – and he needs to be all these things to her without losing his honour, or destroying her dignity and independence. He needs to lift her up, so that she becomes the person she wants to be, and then he needs to hold her there so she can never ever fall.