In the weeks that followed, during their stay in Palenque, Neo often took Bucephalus on reconnaissance expeditions to get used to each other. Despite Pakal's advice, Neo clung to his Opalese uniform. But he couldn't deny that the uniform was suffering from the heavy perspiration.
After a few weeks, Neo finally decided to switch to a slightly less formal style with lighter fabrics and sufficient protection from the sun and wind. For precisely that reason, he had also grown a beard.
On one of his journeys, Neo got lost in the desert. Fortunately, he encountered a desert dweller in the dark, named Zguzja. Zguzja was a sheik with a small entourage.
The man invited him to his tent, where Neo met Zguzja's daughter and son. During that meeting, a spark was lit between Neo and the daughter, Rokhshan, that would never fade.
The two began meeting regularly for long horseback rides, with the father's permission. He had also realized that Neo was a man of ambition and power, and he sensed an opportunity to gain influence through his daughter.
It wasn't long before a marriage was arranged. But knowing Neo, it would be a special one. He wanted to strengthen the ties between his people and the people of the desert and Palenque.
And so, his marshals were gently persuaded to choose a bride and marry on the same day as Neo. This would not only strengthen the bond with the local peoples but also between Neo and his marshals.
There was plenty of choice for brides, and their fathers, like Zguzja sheiks with a small entourage, readily agreed to Neo's proposal.
A wedding of epic proportions was bound to draw a crowd, and it certainly did. People came from far and wide.
Among them were many young women who hoped to somehow manage to land a general or a higher-ranking officer. Which they were guaranteed to do.
The wedding vows and ceremony took place in five different tents. Even then, a large crowd had to watch the wedding from a distance.
But once the festivities began, everyone was welcome. There was dancing, eating, and drinking well into the night. And the wedding itself would provide food for stories for years to come.