London. Trinity term nearly begins as the Lord Chancellor sits in Lincoln's Inn Hall. The weather isstiflingly sultry as the usual rounds are taking place. One lawsuit or another is being tried, no clear sign of being resolved.

This specific case is much like any other case pertaining to the Chancery Court. A Court, upon its creation, meant to be a compensation for the rigidity of law. Supposed to provide equity and fairness to the people, unlike Common Law. However, with time, the system rotted and withered and formed rigidities of its own. An endless cycle of human demolition.

Thus I take you to Mr. Edward Tulkinghorn, a servant of the rotted system, profiting off of the slow churn of these sorts of cases. Currently, he sits in his office at Lincoln's Inn with an affidavit resting between his long, slender fingers. His eyes traverse the document with rapid speed. The document alludes to none other than the infamous "Jarndyce v. Jarndyce" case, a plague upon the court of Chancery. Or rather an inflamed boil, dragging on without end. Now, it's simply the laughing stock of the courtroom, and of England.

After the day's earlier proceedings have been reviewed and an announcement of "Jarndyce and Jarndyce" is made, the courtroom cracks up in irony and spite.

Tulkinghorn does not mind the mockery. His philosophy is that there is no mockery in a penny earned (even if it means a penny lost for another soul).

Tulkinghorn does not care if the system is an abomination in the public's eye, for in his eyes, it is perfection. He basks in its corruption.

Law is his true soulmate. Every aspect of the law he looks on with love and pride, warts and all (or, perhaps, large infectious lesions and all). Without it, his ancestors would not have had the opportunity to earn his family name and their family wealth. Wealth affording him to live in a grand estate a stone's throw from Lincoln's Hall. Without the law, he would have no rank and sway amongst the nobility.

Did Tulkinghorn envy the nobility their leisure? The option to not dedicate endless hours to a profession? Not in the least bit.

However, what he did envy was the inner circle they managed to keep him out of. Not devoid of a highly-respected family name and fortune, Tulkinghorn should have been established as an equal amongst the nobility. Yet, at gatherings and dinners, he stood apart from the crowd, eyeing them indifferently, or so it would appear. Inside his head rests the secrets of every person in the room. If Tulkinghorn's chilling countenance did not frighen his clients, the information he stored within his head certainly did.

"Dear Mr. Tulkinghorn,

I have been made aware of your esteemed abilities through the reference of a mutual colleague of ours, and life-long friend of mine, Sir Leicster Dedlock. A baronet of excellent taste in acquaintances and retaining vast knowledge of lawful affairs, a subject which does not often occupy my own mind. I am too much a country man at heart to fret over legal matters. Yet, the matter in which I write to you today, and having brought up to Sir Leicster, is about a personal issue I have been dealing with the past few months or so, concerning my will. My previous lawyer has not served me ideally, in my opinion. Thus, it was only two days ago I removed him from my case and am now imploring you to aid me in this business. I am willing to offer you a generous salary for the job, if I deem your abilities worthwhile of course. I do hope you can arrive at my dwellings, Northwood Manor, either by this Friday or next. You are a busy lawyer no doubt, and thus I shall fit my schedule around your convenience.

Regards,

Mr. Wilks."

Eyeing the letter without much interest, the aforementioned lawyer begins his somewhat concise reply letter.

"Dear Mr. Wilks,

Any trusted companion of my most highly-respected client, Sir Leicster Dedlock, is fit to do business with. As it happens, I am at your convenience this Friday to discuss your case.

I have been made aware you live in the countryside, and will likely arrive by Friday evening, no later than five.

Thank you for your consideration on my situation and the matter.

Tulkinghorn. "

One of the advantages of working as attorney for the renowned Sir Leicster Dedlock was his unreserved praise and approbation for his lawyer, Tulkinghorn. He was often caught boasting about the long history of the Tulkinghorn family rightfully serving the Dedlocks. Sir Leicster had long come to the conclusion that there was no man in England better represented than himself, and thus gave credit where credit was due in making known to all of his acquaintances and neighbors of his gifted attorney.

In London, there weren't many men with professions in the legal district who were not familiar with the notoriety behind the name, Tulkinghorn. Among Chancery Court, Tulkinghorn was often regarded as its most eminent lawyer. However, Tulkinghorn believed himself to be much more than just a servant of the law, but as a symbol of law. Tulkinghorn

was the embodiment of Chancery Court.

The attorney was very much pleased by Sir Leicster's considerations in recommendation and would make a point in reminding him of his thanks when next he saw him.

For now, that didn't matter however. There was business to attend to.