Presence near the marshes.

How long he had stood here was unclear, his thoughts lost while he stared over the marshes. The Midgewater Marshes that nearly every Breelander knew of and were familiar with, its stories of ghosts and goblins.
His arms were tugged underneath his armpits to keep warm and his thoughts drew back as he began to realize just how cold he was after standing in place for so long.
Not ready to head back home yet he took a walk along the edge of the marshes and stopped again to look over to the ruins deeper in the marshland. 
Something caught the corner of his eye and his head turned. To his surprise, he caught the visage of a woman stood at the edge of the marshes, darkly dressed, pale skinned and copper-like hair. He hadn't noticed her there when he passed.
His eyes closed and opened again, startling when the woman he had spotted a split second ago had gone. A chill ran down his spine.
It was only his imagination, he convinced himself. He had been here too long and it was time to head back and yet as he neared the road leading back home he stopped to look over the marshlands, his eye drawn in the direction he had caught the ghostly figure.
The man's mind began to wander until he was interrupted by a voice behind him. He turned to spot a fair-haired man stood there, asking if he was lost.  "Nay, nay. I ain't lost." He answered and smiled, subtly giving the man a look over and making certain he was not an odd vision as well. Thankfully, he was no spirit.
Daerist Dundrow, a man of Dale, he remembered seeing him at the ball the other night. The two spoke briefly but night was approaching. After what he had seen earlier there was unease of venturing back home alone, even if he would not admit such.
Daerist had forgotten his lantern and was not confident walking back to town without it. Seeing his chance to avoid the lone walk he offered his company to join him, he could spend the night and then be on his way in the morning. Even if the offer was strange it was accepted. It was a generous offer, he said. 
He felt relief wash over him now that he was not forced to make his way back alone, the company was welcomed. He could use the distraction of trying to make new friends after the evening he had.