NEGOTIATION     The art of negotiation.  Many P/people look at a D/s relationship and see no room for negation.  The sub has made a commitment to the Dom/me to please, serve, honor, and respect in any way possible.  This leads many to believe that there are no limits or boundaries that must be set and that the sub has no choice whatsoever as to what happens during or out of a scene.  This is not true.  At least not in the beginning of the relationship.
True unconditional devotion is what most E/everyone looks for in their partner.  But it doesn't develop over night.  The amount of trust and belief that must develop between the two takes a lot of time and for some never can or will get to that ultimate level.  And in the beginning great care must be taken not to destroy what trust has been developed.  This is where negotiation comes in.
When Y/you first become involved with someone you don't know everything about them, their likes, needs, and desires.  And some times it can be hard for the other person to tell you.  But open communication is a must.  One of the best ways to start this communication is to set aside a time when there will be little or no interruptions and start a dialog between the two of you.  It's best to do this while relaxed and not in a formal role where neither of you are constricted by any roles you have taken in the relationship.  For this to work, you must be on even ground.
Take this time and talk to each other.  Discuss fantasies and goals for the relationship.  Find the balance between what you need and what you want.  This is what negotiation is all about.  You will find that there are things that are important to you that the other person never even considered and vice versa and you both must decide where these things fit into your relationship.
There are some great lists and forms available on line to help you open up topics that might be hard for you to discuss at first.  Such as the limits that should be set while scening.  One such list exists here at this sight.  And one little aside about these lists.  I sincerely believe that the list should be filled out by both parties, not just the sub.  The relationship will go so much smoother if the sub knows exactly what will please their Dom/me.  A good way to do this is to have both fill out the form separately then get together and go over each item in the list discussing personal feelings about each activity.