One of the biggest protocols I have had to learn has been that of the apology. When my master first asked me "What should you say?" My first thought was, I have no clue. I re-read what he had said to try to figure out where he was coming from. I felt a little embarrassed and so didn't let him know I was unsure of what to do. So, once again I am researching. There is a lot out here, but here is what really resonated with me.
Step 1: Initiate the apology. “I’m sorry...” “Please forgive me...” “I apologize...” “I beg your pardon...” "I'm sorry, please forgive me for..."
Step 2: Admit the mistake or offense. “I was unaware...” “It was not my intention to disrespect or displease you.”
Step 3: Let your Dom know that you don't intend to make this mistake in the future. “I will make every effort to ...”
Step 4: Ask the Master what you can do to correct your mistake, be it punishment or a merciful do-over. “Please allow me to ...” “May I ...now, Sir?”
Step 5: This is not really a step...Any apology needs to come from the heart. Even if you don't understand what you did, understand that it hurt your master in some way, and that is something we subs never want to do.
If you have any suggestions or there is something that I forgot, please comment. I am not just here to express my thoughts, but to learn from those who have gone through this or are going through this as well.
Thanks