Thank you so much for all your Reviews! I hope you like the ending of the story...
Sadly, no-one guessed the woman's indentity... but then again, it was not exactly easy... and not everyone know the Silmarillion that well... the woman is Melian the Maia, wife of Elu Thingol and mother of Lúthien.
11. The End
Melian stood motionless under the soft starlight, waiting for the Spartan king.
Slowly Leonidas walked towards the grey clad woman.
A few metres away from her he stopped.
"Who are you, Lady?" he asked quietly.
"I have had many names, but you may call me Melian," the woman said in a soft and melodic voice. "Walk with me."
The king did as she asked him and followed her slowly through the starlit woods.
"You are a long way from home, Spartan." She said finally.
Leonidas nodded.
"I know. But it's not as if I could do anything about it, or is it?"
Melian sadly shook her head.
"No. You died and it is not within my power to send you back."
The Maia was silent for a while.
"You and your men have been sent here by the Valar, to aid the free people of Middle-earth in their fight for freedom. You have succeeded better than anyone could have hoped."
Leonidas bowed his head shortly in acknowledgment of the compliment and waited for her to continue.
"But your time here is at an end. This is not your world and you cannot stay any longer."
The king nodded. He had already guess as much.
"How shall we leave?"
Melian smiled softly.
"Gather your men and then come back to me."
Now Leonidas realised that they stood on the outskirts of the clearing where the others were still celebrating.
"I will." He said quietly and walked back to the feast.
Just a few quiet instructions were necessary to assmeble his men, but he had one more thing to do.
"My Lord Aragorn."
The soon-to-be king of Gondor looked up to see the Spartan standing near him with a solemn expression. He quickly excused himself and went to speak with Leonidas.
"We are leaving."
Aragorn nodded. He had been expecting something like this.
"Do you need anything? Provisions? You need only tell me and I will do everything in my power to grant your request."
Leonidas shok his head.
"I have everything I need. Farewell, my friend."
Aragorn bowed slightly.
"May the grace of the Valar be with you, mellon nin."
And with that, King Leonidas took his leave of the Lord Aragorn and led his men into the waiting twilight of the trees.
"My Lady."
Melian smiled softly.
"Follow me."
The Spartans followed her deeper into the forest and soon they were surrounded by a dense mist.
Suddenly the mist parted.
They were standing on the edge of a golden field underneath a bright blue sky.
A lone woman was standing among the wheat, waiting.
"Gorgo," breathed Leonidas surprised.
"Welcome to the Elysian Fields," Melian said with a gentle smile before she stepped back into the mist that vanished with her.
THE END.
(A/N: The Elysian fields were the final resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous in Greek mythology.)