Elegant was raised primarily by Madame Lusine within the Blooming Rose. Her mother was a sex worker who had given birth to her in one of the back rooms of the brothel and later died of childbed fever. Lusine took charge of the girl and later cited the loss of her mother as well as the costs of keeping and training her as part of the ‘debt’ owed to her by Elegant. As part of a ploy to have her become mistress to one of Kirkwall’s powerful players and thus put Lusine in closer proximity to power than she already was, she had Elegant instructed in dancing and music, as well as recitation.

Elegant sells more than just healing potions, those are just the most relevant to Hawke. She also provides cosmetics, abortives, fertility tonics, and - if you’ve the right phrase - a nigh undetectable poison.

Elegant's husband is killed in the siege at the end of Act II, and she inherits everything. In spite of it being rumored that it was no love match, Elegant still enters the polite period of mourning - even longer, in fact. The more gossip-y among those in Hightown claim she's being dramatic, but she does genuinely miss him. I think you'd hear her comment about how empty the house feels. She begins holding numerous parties during Act III, inviting Hawke + company along with a number of other dignitaries, in some vain hope of finding a middle ground between the growing factions of Kirkwall.

It's lovely, right?