The Honeymoon Voyage- A Mature Anidita Story

The Unprecedented Suhaag Raat Rituals!

The A- Deck had three levels and on each level, the 1st Class cabins were located in such a way that they were in that portion of the ship which faced the least impact of rough seas. This prevented the 1st Class passengers from getting seasick on those rough days in the sea.

The most prestigious cabins amongst the 1st Class were located on the third level, where Aniruddh and Bondita were now headed.

Below the A-Deck's first level was the Boat Deck which carried the lifeboats.

Above the A- Deck was the B-Deck where the 2nd Class staterooms were present, and above that was the Uppermost Deck.

The 'ding' of the elevator indicated that they had reached their floor.

Stepping out, they came into another lavishly decorated corridor. The wood-paneled walls had elegantly designed signboards to guide the passengers towards their room.

Aniruddh and Bondita's cabin was C-57, and as they headed towards it according to the signboard, the steward continued being their "ship tour guide."

"Sir, Ma'am, all these 1st Class cabins are exclusively designed in different decorative styles. From old Regency to Louis XIV to Adam's to Italian Renaissance- all these cabins have a grandeur and elegance that makes The Majestic unique amongst other ocean liners and passenger ships."

They had now reached the last door on the far-left of the corridor.

This wooden door had a bronze plate in the center with boldly emblazoned numbers, indicating that this was their room.

They had seen such beautiful interiors so far that they were truly excited to see how their room would be.

As the steward opened the room and Aniruddh stepped his feet inside, a low gasp escaped Bondita's mouth at the magnificently decorated spacious room.

Unlike the outsides, this room was representing a true Empire style. The walls were white enamel painted and simple with beautiful plaster moldings and carved designs along straight lines. They had a hint of gold and bronze on the patterns, adding glamor to the simplicity.

The floor was carpeted in light tones too, making the cabin appear more spacious.

Along the west wall, a beautifully designed rich mahogany boat-shaped bed with intricate bronze and gold gildings was fixed length-wise.

The walls had small lamp fixtures and three round-shaped windows covered with thick glass and plain silk curtains, which added richness and elegance to the overall theme of the room.

On the corner opposite the bed, there was a comfortable sofa, and in the center of the room, a small round mahogany table with two armchairs was present. The chairs and the sofa all had the classic Empire style gold gilding patterns that added regalness and exuberance to the beautiful room, and they were upholstered in bold toned fabric which contrasted amazingly with the light carpet and the surrounding walls.

Along the east wall of the room, a dressing table with a large, oval-shaped mirror was present.

Although there were small lamps fixed on the walls at regular intervals, along with them, the center of the ceiling supported a beautiful chandelier with crystals and candles that added to the room's magnificence and royalty.

Adjoining this room was a walk-in wardrobe and a personal restroom with a large marble sink and bathtub. This was an exclusive feature for 1st Class passengers. The 2nd Class and the 3rd Class passengers had shared accommodation and shared restrooms too.

The steward kept Aniruddh's luggage in the walk-in wardrobe and then opened a door that led them out in a verandah.

It was an enclosed space designed as a private deck with two lounge chairs and a small personal swimming pool. The occupants of the room could enjoy the sea while lounging on the chaises or they could indulge in pleasurable swimming pool activities when the sea was not rough and the ship was not rocking too much.

The steward showed them a bell that they could use if they wanted to call a maid or a steward.

The room had a 1000 watt Prometheus heater also in one corner.

Finishing his 'tour' of the room, the steward then told them that the ship offered many other facilities for the 1st Class Passengers like a gymnasium, Turkish bath for men, an exclusive reading and writing room for women with an adjoining library, a tennis court, and a smoking room for gents too.

He then offered his services as a guide later if they wished and humbly asked for their leave. Aniruddh paid him a tip which he happily accepted and finally left the two of them alone in their room.

Once the door was closed, they both looked at each other and the most unladylike squeal escaped Bondita's mouth that she had been holding in since the time they had entered the splendor of this beautiful setting.

She hugged Aniruddh tightly and exclaimed,

" Yeh sab kia hai Sakha babu!!! I just love this place so much!!"

Feeling thrilled with her excitement, Aniruddh smiled and clasping her tighter, said lovingly,

"I am glad Bondita that you like all of this."

She finally raised her head from the crook of his shoulder and neck, and looking into his eyes with a soft smile playing on her lips, she caressed his cheek lightly and said,

"Thank you so much for this. Mien janty hun ke aap ne living arrangements change ki thyn meri wajeh se."

Returning her smile, he looked at her tenderly and replied,

"Anything for you."

And then, very carefully, he made her sit on the cozy double bed.

"Bondita, mien tumhien medicine laga deta hun, aur phir tumhare kapdon ka bhi intizaam kerna haina."

She nodded and while he went inside the walk-in wardrobe to bring her medicines from his luggage, she surveyed the room and her eyes landed on her reflection in the mirror of the dressing table.

She was heavily adorned with bridal jewelry and deciding to take it all off and keep it safely, she limped towards the stool in front of the dresser.

She was about to take off her earring when Aniruddh returned with her medicine.

Seeing her struggle with her jewelry, he went near her, and standing behind her, putting his hands on her shoulders, he bent a little and said,

"Here, let me help you."

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A/N:

The C-57 Cabin on the RMS Titanic was actually how I have loosely depicted in this write-up.

Source:

https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/cabins.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First-class_facilities_of_the_Titanic