Memoir of an Alien Princess by Kendrick E. Knight

Verdera is a planet that consumes the careless, the inexperienced. Small, weak and ill-equipped for survival, DUST, is born into the chaos of life on Verdera. The oldest of five, she must protect her siblings from the physical threats lurking around every tree, bush and rock. Next in line to rule one of the most technologically advanced civilizations in the galaxy, her father orders her to do her duty and select a mate from those deemed suitable by law. It is a choice that condemns her to a loveless pairing and a life of servitude for the good of her race unless she can use her unique abilities to find another way.