"Except as a prisoner. But your Highness came hither of your own choice."
"Assuredly! I intend to leave it of my own choice too."
Count Tilly tugged at his long moustaches in despair. "Princess!" And in addition to all his other cares! There was really only one princess, but she appeared to him by reason of her self-will to be at least half a dozen. She still stood there gazing at him out of those wonderful dancing black eyes. ("Confound her eyes," Tilly said to himself.)
"Perhaps Gustavus or John George might give me a safe-conduct if I required it."
"There are more unlikely things, your Highness! Particularly if your Highness made your request in person!"
"They could not be more obdurate than Count Tilly!"
"At the present time, your Highness, they are in better posture to afford courtesies than I am to spare men."
Her Highness pouted and went in search of her uncle, the Bishop. She thought to win him over before Count Tilly had seen him.
But her uncle Leopold, now that it seemed as if the tide of war was to sweep away from Halberstadt, was not willing to part with his niece. Even a Bishop of the Holy Roman Church, vowed to celibacy as he was, was not indifferent to ties of familial affection, and Stephanie's beauty and youth and intelligence were all living and pleasant things, not to be lightly set aside.
"You are as safe here, Stephanie, as in Vienna!".