What do we think happened to Loras?

[MotherMerciless]

Loras faking injury can serve many purposes. The most evident one being him not having to Champion for Cersei.

The second, searching for some sort of magical secret, is plausible, yet I will Ice and fire freak and Blood-raven in the sense that more dragons in this story won't necessarily make it a better story.

I always felt that to have a dragon, one would either have to be of the Targaryen bloodline or own/use the dragon horn, which would exclude Loras (unless there in Targaryen blood in him).

The third is to simply be free to fight off the iron-born. Perfectly possible, yet difficult to maintain a secret.

Possibility one could be coupled with wither possibility two and three.

Then of course, it could also be possible that he was indeed seriously wounded, but I just feel that him lying is just too good of a scheme for G.R.R.M to ignore ;)

[Gheimhridh ag teacht]

I definitely think Loras is uninjured at Dragonstone.

I don't believe Loras is out looking for Dany - what would Loras (and House Tyrell) have to gain from finding her, and allying with her? At the moment they are bolstering the Lannister claim to the throne because that makes Margaery queen...if Dany comes back to claim the throne, then Marg is a goner.

They could be hoping to wed Marg to Aegon...her fourth marriage. That could be a little hard to believe, but the idea that Dorne plan to wed Arianne to Aegon could spur them on (no love lost between Highgarden and Dorne). So Loras could be seeking to try convince Aegon that a marriage with Margaery would be beneficial, as they could bring the Lannister's down from the inside without waging all-out war on King's Landing.

However I think it's far more likely that Loras is searching Dragonstone for dragon lore, something to help them in the coming battle for the throne - they can't be unaware of Dany and the dragons (tales have been coming to Westeros for a while now), and it seems likely that Highgarden with its many spiders (as the Queen of Thorns mentioned) would have knowledge of Aegon too. The Tyrell's always want to be at the point of least resistance to their betterment - so they'll want to hang back until things unfold a bit more, and put themselves in a position where they can switch sides without too much backlash. I think it's very possible Loras will swear his sword to Aegon (part of his Kingsguard), and hand Dragonstone - the ancient seat of the Targs - to him as promise of his family's loyalty.

[Mithras]

The whole point of Loras rushing to Dragonstone was to take the castle and relieve the Redwyne fleet so that they can return and repel the ironborn. Once Dragonstone is taken, Loras certainly went with the Redwynes to fight the ironborn himself. His presence in KL is highly dangerous because he can kill Cersei or he can be chosen by Cersei to fight for her in the trial. That is the only reason for this injury tale.

[ambi76]

As much as I love the "Grand Tyrell Conspirancy Theory" I don't really believe in it anymore. I think Loras is really nastily injured because that's GRRM's stick. I think it's getting a le-e-ttle bit old but he seems to think otherwise. What I think comes next is either Loras saving his sister (and Tommen?) from the snakepit King's Landing not by trial by combat but just an old fashioned break out, or probably more likely he goes North after his reconvalescense trying to confront Stannis but then instead gets involved in the big end-battle.

[The Sleeper]

I think it's one of two things:

1. They found "something" on Dragonstone that they don't want Cersei to know about and are using the injury to bide their time.

2. Loras is actually on the other side of the country fighting the ironborn and the injury is a ruse to keep people from noticing that he's missing.

Loras injured on Dragonstone reminds me far too much of Davos's severed head at White Harbor. Off-page, super sketchy and seems way too similar to what Cersei wants to hear.

There is one big difference. Davos's supposed execution involved two people and took place out of sight. The events described by Aurane Waters would have dozens if not hundreds of witnesses. Loras Tyrrell is now even uglier than the Hound.

[Bloodraven's Lost Eye]

The tyrells have been 5 steps ahead of cersei from the start. They got wind of cersei's trap for maergery and had been turning it into cersei's downfall from the start. Just the same they made her believe loras going to dragonstone would possibly mean one less rose to be concerned of... Which, conveniently is just what "happened".

Reading the passage of aurane waters reporting about the battle for dragonstone and subsequently cersei telling maergery, something was very obvious. Cersei has aurane telling the account of the battle twice, but the reader only gets the (obviously exaggerated) version of cersei.

I am sure aurane waters has been a tyrell man from the start:

"I do not want our precious Margaery to hear these tidings from a stranger, after all, she said. I will tell her myself. Your Grace is kind, said Waters with a smile. A WICKED SMILE, the queen thought.

She thinks little of it, but that wicked smile is because cersei is doing exactly what they expected... When loras does show up, it would appear the tales of his injuries were more lies from that "lying, evil, scheming bitch"

As soon as the plan unfolds and cersei is imprisonned, Waters takes off with the new fleet (with thanks to cersei) to relieve the reach.

As for the location of loras, imo it makes no matter. The true purpose was to give cersei the idea she's in a more powerfull position, especially if it came to a trial by battle.

Imo dragons have nothing to do with it, highgarden is a young house, vain, ambitious and loyal only to theirselves, their game is the game of thrones. Neither have they found something in DS, stannis was there the whole time and he actually believes in magic & dragons, it makes no sense that loras tyrell would stumble on something of the kind stannis had all the time to find on DS.

[-Ghost-]

Im not exactly sure whats going on with this situation, but I dont think its what weve been told. I dont think Loras is that injured. I think he struck a deal with Aurane so he would help Willas out with the Ironborn. Aurane gets to keep the ships if he helps defend the Reach after the Tyrells take out Cersei. Right now hes just killing time being a pirate until he is needed.

[Ahura Mazda]

I must admit I totally bought what Cersei PoV told me on Loras fate, at that time. I never liked the idea, whereas the suggestion of some other hidden plot against Cersei involving him not being idea is quite interesting.

[The Lady Lannister]

In the books Loras's mission to Dragonstone and his heroic scaling of the walls seemed quite spot on, as he seemed positively suicidal since Renly's death.

I am quite convinced he at least lost his good looks. They all did so far. He may have quickly recovered though.

[The Old Tongue]

He has found a dragon on dragonstone, and is training it.

We are supposedly gearing up for the SECOND dance of the dragons. However the FIRST dance of the dragons was a war with multiple dragons - and dragonriders - on both sides of the conflict.

So if GRRM is gearing up for a second such dragon-war, he's probably going to need more than just Dany's dragons. Loras is already poised to make a surprise appearance on a dragon, when GRRM needs him.

It's taken two years just for the dragons to reach the size they're at now. Unless you're implying that Loras has found mature dragons (and one needs only to reference Quentyn Martell to see how that plays out) he'd be riding a hatchling.

I don't want more dragons, Dany's three have a perfect enemy north of the wall.

[The Old Tongue]

Not to mention, if you really want to see two dragons going at it (targ incest?) there's the possibility of the wrong person warging one to oppose it's kin, or a dead dragon being turned into a wight.

[Shebara]

I too thought about the fate of Loras and I found no answer yet...I do hope he is safe.

Maybe he found something at Dragonstone...maybe his burns are not from besiege but...from some dragon there..who knows?

Maybe he is not wounded at all...looking secretly for anti-Lannister allies somewhere?

Maybe he will be back at KL after Margerys trial, Margery found guilty and sentenced to death or dead....and Loras (being a younger brother) strikes as ...the Valonquar? (only a crackpot but he is on my list of possible Valonquars)

[StarkofWinterfell]

The events with Loras at Dragonstone are an obvious indication that he is the PWWP

[Alhazred]

It's taken two years just for the dragons to reach the size they're at now.

(shrug) - I don't know when we'll see Loras again. And depending on the dragon, a year or even less might be enough to be rideable.

Unless you're implying that Loras has found mature dragons

Perfectly possible.

(and one needs only to reference Quentyn Martell to see how that plays out) he'd be riding a hatchling.

Quentyn, of course, is perfectly alive, and about to ride Viserion at the battle of Meereen. I cannot believe you are falling for that "He's burnt beyond recognition, but it must be Quentyn, because hey - would I try to fool you?" trick.

I don't want more dragons,

(shrug)

Dany's three have a perfect enemy north of the wall.

Sorry. But I completely don't buy the idea that the plot function of Dany's dragons is to save Westeros from the Others. The plot function of Dany's dragons is to devastate Westeros, in the context of horrible warfare - to soften up Westeros so that the Others can have a shot at completely wiping out all human life during the long winter.

[assjfjgjsgjljljglgjfjsduar]

There is one big difference. Davos's supposed execution involved two people and took place out of sight. The events described by Aurane Waters would have dozens if not hundreds of witnesses. Loras Tyrrell is now even uglier than the Hound.

And hundreds of people probably thought they saw Davos's severed head at White Harbor, too. People still think they saw Renly's ghost storm King's Landing and save it from Stannis. People see what they want to, and it's amazing what a suit of armor can conceal.

If something is too good to be true (like Loras being at death's door is to Cersei), it usually is.

[Dany Girl]

And hundreds of people probably thought they saw Davos's severed head at White Harbor, too. People still think they saw Renly's ghost storm King's Landing and save it from Stannis. People see what they want to, and it's amazing what a suit of armor can conceal.

If something is too good to be true (like Loras being at death's door is to Cersei), it usually is.

I agree. The Tyrells are clearly out for themselves with no loyalty to the Lannister clan. They're just using Tommen. Either they'll hop on the Aegon band Wagon if he agrees to marry Marge or they'll hop on the Dany bandwagon I'd she agrees to marry Willas. They were loyal to the Targs in RR, so it would make sense to go back to them. I think Lords is fine and either on his way to Aegon or Dany, if not he's in the Reach leading the army against the iron born.

[Alhazred]

The dance with dragons may mean two branches of house Targaryen battling one another. Just saying...

One need not be a trueborn Targ. All that is needed is some level of Targ heritage - or perhaps Valyrian heritage.

...there will not be more dragons in the next two books.

We've already seen one extra dragon - the so-called "Dragon of Winterfell". But it is strange how many people are in denial about that.

[James Arryn]

I'm part Targ.

[jarl the climber]

My theory is that Loras was injures at Dragonstone but possibly not quite as severely as has been reported to us, all though the large casualties suffered by the attacking force are accurate. I think Loras plans on shipping the captured men off to to the Wall, he will go along in secret and try to kill Stannis and possibly Jon and end the war in a stroke. He has also might have heard stories about whats going on at the Wall and wants to find out the truth of it.

[BitsOfBrains]

I see a lot of these theories and some of them are really good, but I have to think that Loras was severely disfigured.

Grom is really fond of taking away what people cherish most.

The Kingslayer lost his hand, making him a gimp. We know from the Half Hand that a swordsman can make the switch, but whatevs.

Ned was forced to lie, cheat, bribe, and deceive soiling his honor which he held most sacred.

Cat had to watch all of her family die which she lived for.

I could go on.

Taking a guy who was supposedly the most handsome man ever and turning him into the Toxic Avenger is totally Grom style.

I DO think its possible that he got burned by a baby dragon instead of boiling oil.

We know that Ser Courtnay Penroses garrison went over to Stannis. I think its fair to assume that some of those, "grey beards and green boys" are still holding storms end when Loras takes it.

Maybe some of these guys told him a similar shadow story as the one he got from Brienne,

Just because he is mangled doesn't mean he isn't making things happen.

Also Loras doesn't seem to be particularly politically cunning or clever.

In combat and jousting he is hella clever, but politically I think he is lost.