Hey, I can't trust Nicolas yet, but can he somehow be a positive influence on Charles-Henri, despite also being an executioner? I can't believe that yet, let's see. He might be just as messed up, as most of the Sanson family.
It's insane what they put those people through in the dungeons. It's almost like somehow the execution itself is a relief. All the molten metals, cuts, fire etc... Damn. I wonder though, dangerously... doesn't it work bad for the actual execution? Like, Damiens will be fragile.
If they want to see him suffer for a long time, like in "Braveheart", wouldn't it make more sense to keep him in more or less one piece before "the show"? Maybe even let him eat a good meal on the morning of his execution day? Guess you can't, when the dude attacked your king...