The Empire Trilogy: Daughter of the Empire

Daughter of the Empire by Raymond Feist & Janny Wurts

Book Description: "In the first book, Mara tries to survive and learn how to wield the reins of power. This book is about her personal growth from child to adult, from subject to ruler. This is an introductory novel to the world and to Mara. As such, it focusses on the inner workings of a Great House.
She recruits Grey Warriors - warriors who have been shamed and were traditionally outcast - to refill the decimated ranks of the Acoma. She makes an alliance with the cho-ja, an insectoid species. Mara also arranges a political marriage with her family's enemy, the Anasati. Given a choice between the second and third son, she makes the surprising choice of the third one - Buntokapi - who is generally seen as dumber and more brutish than his older brothers. Buntokapi soon proves to be both an abusive husband and an inept ruling lord. Later in the book, she arranges the death of Buntokapi after she becomes pregnant. By the end of the book, Mara has restored her family to power and gotten revenge by forcing Lord Jingu of the Minwanabi to commit suicide."